ISSAQUAH/EVERETT, WA – 13 Box Office and Front-of-House workers at the Village Theatre’s Issaquah and Everett locations have voted unanimously to join the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 15.
Village Theatre is a nationally recognized musical theatre company known for its significant contributions to the development of new musicals, with each location seating approximately 500 patrons. The theatre also operates a robust youth education program, making it a hub for the performing arts community in the Pacific Northwest.
Organizing began in April 2026, with workers signing authorization cards by May. The workers filed for recognition on June 9, 2026. The employer declined voluntary recognition, which forced the matter to a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) election. At this point, the Employer began holding one-on-one meetings with employees in the weeks that followed, but Workers held firm.
After the petition was filed, organizers brought assistant managers into the conversation and rallied support from Local 15 stagehands working backstage, who wore union buttons in a visible show of solidarity. Workers also amplified their campaign through social media, building momentum that culminated in a unanimous yes vote.
“As a new addition to our growing B-Local, the Village staff set a shining example for other front-of-house workers who want to improve their workplace by exercising their right to organize,” said Samuel Zachos, Organizer for IATSE Local 15.
Bargaining unit member Hope Fyffe spoke to what this victory means for the workers and those who will follow them. “This means having access to rights that we should already have access to, but also a reminder that we can only be successful if we work together. I look forward to knowing that when my time with Village Theatre is inevitably over, the next person will have a better standard of treatment and respect from the moment they start their time as an employee there.”
Front-of-house workers looking to join together to win better workplaces can head to iatse.net/join to contact an IATSE organizer.
