By IATSE 8, BUSINESS MANAGER, Mike Barnes:

– “The opening of Live Nation’s Filmore Philadelphia is the culmination of an amazing journey for the Philadelphia Club Stagehands and proud members of IATSE Local 8. The process started with a successful organizing drive at the Tower Theater, at which IATSE Local 8 signed up 35 stagehands – 34 of whom are people of color – and secured for them family sustaining wages and fair benefits. The Tower organizing was followed up by the crew at the Theater of the Living Arts on South Street which voted union and will now work under a full union agreement. Today IATSE Local 8 signed agreements for the stagehands working at the Tower, TLA and magnificent new Filmore in Philadelphia. Our union values the long standing relationship we have developed with Live Nation.

We congratulate all those at Live Nation who were involved in bringing this fantastic new performance space to Philadelphia. We hope their counterparts at the other Philadelphia Club venues are paying attention and realize that paying your employees fair wages and benefits is not only the right thing to do, but it’s a smart business decision, too.”