Brooklyn Bowl Philadelphia stagehands want to form union; mail-in election to be held

The stagehands, lighting designers, and video technicians who make sure Brooklyn Bowl Philadelphia productions go on without a hitch want to make the venue a union shop.

Production hands started organizing as soon as the venue opened in November. At least 35 out of roughly 50 Brooklyn Bowl production hands signed union-authorization cards at the end of June through the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 8, according to union representative Daniel Little. A mail-in election through the National Labor Relations Board will kick off Friday with votes set to be counted on Aug. 29.

Should the majority of eligible production staff vote in favor, the NLRB would certify the union to begin collective bargaining. Another way collective bargaining can move forward is if the employer voluntarily recognizes the union, typically based on whether a majority of employees signed authorization cards. They want employer Live Nation to do that.

Brooklyn Bowl lighting engineer George Spencer said he and his peers learned production employees at Brooklyn Bowl make less than those next door at the Fillmore — another Live Nation venue on that particular Fishtown strip — which is unionized through Local 8.

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“The workers get health benefits, more money, job protections doing the exact same job that we do,” said Spencer, who has more than a decade of experience in production experience.

Brooklyn Bowl Philadelphia is a 1,000-person live music venue that specializes in jam bands and features a bowling alley and restaurant. Originally a New York City venue, Brooklyn Bowl opened its Philadelphia club — its fourth — through a partnership with Live Nation.

Brooklyn Bowl and Live Nation acknowledged the union election was occurring but did not comment further.

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Several Live Nation venues in Philly are already represented by Local 8, including Tower Theater, The Met, Punch Line Philly (another Brooklyn Bowl neighbor), and Theatre of Living Arts.

In addition to any possible contract gains, recognition of the Brooklyn Bowl union would allow those employees to pick up work at other Local 8 shops. Spencer, already an IATSE member through other work, said that’s a big win for workers in an industry where many earn a living around multiple gigs.

According to the NLRB, it processed close to 1,900 union representation petitions in the first three quarters of the 2022 fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30 — up 58% from the same period the previous year. In the Philadelphia region, unionizing efforts continue to bloom with more organizing efforts underway in sectors like the service industry.

» READ MORE: Unions are brewing at coffee shops and restaurants. Will they change Philly’s food scene?

On Monday at 1 p.m., Brooklyn Bowl stagehands plan to rally in front of the venue to ask for Live Nation’s voluntary recognition.