Update: The employees of the two united Alamo Draftouses in New York City have joined Sloan’s Lake Place in Colorado in striking.
Workers in the lower Manhattan and central Brooklyn theaters did well on the same threat as Sloan’s Lake employees did to go out and strike after layoffs because of the season’s slowdown. All three unionized theaters in Alamo Drafthouse’s 42 nationwide theaters are now on strike.
Original story: Unionized employees at a Colorado Alamo Drafthouse did well on threats made earlier this week by going on strike.
Alamo Drafthouse’s Sloan’s Lake site went out after threats that made it in protest of a number of recently “unfair” layoffs. The employees are trade unions through communications workers in America Local 7777 and plan to stay on strike until further notice.
“This is not Alamo Drafthouse that we have supported and built over the years. This is Sony, their new business owners who pull the strings and try to silence our collective voice and take our power. But we refuse to be silent, and we refuse to be powerless, “Union said negotiating committee member Josh Reitze in a statement.
The statement went on to say Alamo Drafthouse handled seasonal rugs in previous years with fluctuating hours. The trade union employees also place the Sony obligation to cut colleagues at three Colorado places even though they did not need.
“The company’s own financial data is contrary to the need for these layoffs,” awarded Claude Grossi, negotiating committee member. “Their prospects are optimistic and cash office shows significant industry growth. This is not about financial difficulties, it is about the companies’ interests that go beyond the rights of workers. “
Reitze told Thewrap earlier this week that the news about layoffs came as a significant shock to the employees concerned. Many of them learned their fate through media reports and on the Alamo Drafthouse Reddit side.
“I’ve been working in theaters since 2013, and the type of layoffs that Alamo does are quite outstanding,” Reitze told Thewrap. “I’ve never seen this kind of layoffs all over the world.”
Individuals with internal knowledge at Drafthouse said that the dismissals came waiting for a slow cash office during the first quarter of 2025. Last year March was strengthened by “Dune: Part two” and “Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire” but this year lacks the early tent poles.
The same individuals said Drafthouse chose to implement layoffs rather than Sony. Reitze and other employees at Sloan’s Lake branch remain skeptical of this since previous years included cutting hours during the slow months that were not terminated.
“I can’t see it as anything but bad decision -making in one size,” he said.
