Workers At I.M.P. Venues Make Union Push

A unionization effort is underway by workers at the iconic Washington, D.C. venues operated by I.M.P.

Employees of the 9:30 Club, The Anthem, The Atlantis and Lincoln Theatre are asking I.M.P. for voluntary recognition of their organization efforts.

Food and beverage, door and floor staff at the 9:30, Atlantis and Lincoln are working with UNITE HERE Local 25; UNITE HERE helped organize similar employees at Minneapolis’ First Avenue in 2023. Sound and stage production staff at all four venues are working with IATSE Local 22, while box-office staff at the venues is being assisted by IATSE Local 868.

The organizers are asking for a card-check agreement — a process by which the NLRB recognizes a union if more than half of an employer’s work force sign authorization forms for unionization.

“I love working here, but we just want better support from our employer,” said Hunter Spears, who works door staff, in a press release. “I’ve taken boots to the face. I’ve been thrown up on. I’ve hurt my wrist catching crowd surfers.” 

“We work at an internationally renowned venue, and we deserve to be treated like we work at an internationally renowned venue. I don’t feel like we are treated with dignity,” said stagehand and audio engineer Lee Reber.

In a statement to Pollstar, I.M.P. said it looks forward to “robust dialogue” with its employees.

“While we have not yet been fully informed of the positions the unions plan to present, we fundamentally believe in their right to exist and to our employees’ rights to collectively bargain. This company IS our people. We look forward to a robust dialogue toward the best result for our staff and for the company, and will work together to make that happen,” the venue operator said.