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Last March, workers at three venues — Paradise Rock Club (967 Commonwealth Ave), Brighton Music Hall (158 Brighton Ave), and Citizens House of Blues Boston — unanimously voted to be represented by a union. 

The Local 11 Union of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) will represent full-time and regular part-time technicians, including stagehands and stage managers employed for performances at these venues.

According to Colleen Glynn, the business manager at IATSE Local 11, the workers unionized in order to negotiate similar protections in a contract as their counterparts in other parts of the neighborhood, such as MGM Fenway Music Hall and Fenway Park.

Glynn says that she initially heard from a worker at House of Blues to discuss the possibility of union representation. Shortly afterward, she received calls from workers at Brighton Music Hall and Paradise Rock Club.

“The workforce at these three venues are highly skilled, highly talented people that deserve the same rights and benefits and wages that the stage hands and all the other major venues get, and I’m so excited to welcome them into Local 11,” she said.

After several meetings, the workers signed pledge cards. According to the records from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), workers at Brighton Music Hall petitioned for an election for representation, and held a vote at the front lounge of Paradise Rock Club on March 19. After unanimous support for union representation by IATSE Local 11, the NLRB issued a Certification of Representation on March 27. 

The other two venues followed a similar process and timeframe.

The union will represent ten workers at Brighton Music Hall and 13 workers at Paradise Rock Club. 

Glynn says that union representation will allow IATSE Local 11 to negotiate a contract that will include contributions for pension funds, annuity fund, and a health and welfare fund. 

She expects that more stage workers could come to IATSE Local 11 for representation, saying that the employees at Roadrunner, which is located in Brighton, will be next.

Management at Brighton Music Hall, Paradise Rock Club, and Crossroads Presents LLC did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

Sarah Cruz contributed reporting. Cover photo by Belinda Afful.