Pabst Theater Group workers vote to form a union, adding to a string of local union victories

Kayli Humphrey first heard her coworkers at Pabst Theater Group were thinking of starting a union three years ago, and she was skeptical it would happen.  

On Wednesday, Pabst Theater Group workers voted 34-2 to form a union under the Milwaukee Area Service and Hospitality union.  

“After seeing the results of the vote, it made me realize how strongly we all feel about this,” Humphrey said. “It made me excited for what’s about to come... I enjoy this job and I’m excited to see it improve.” 

More: Pabst Theater Group rejects workers request to recognize union, setting up a vote at NLRB

Humphrey, an event lead for the company, said recent union victories in service industry jobs are changing the perception of what a union could be. 

“I think the spectrum for what a union could be is definitely broadening,” Humphrey said. 

In a statement, Pabst Theater Group said the company felt it was necessary to have a secret ballot election conducted by the National Labor Relations Board. 

"Our company has a long history of working with unions and we are committed to honoring the results of the election certified by the NLRB. We look forward to working with MASH to find a common ground in the collective bargaining process.”

Multiple union victories

Pabst is just the most recent employer that has had workers vote to unionize this year. Less than two weeks ago, video game company Raven Software, based in Middleton, voted 19-2 to form a union.  

In March, workers at Colectivo voted 106-99 to unionize, and in April, Starbucks workers in Oak Creek voted 15-8 to form a union. 

“It’s so awesome that we get to join the multitudes of other workplaces that have been unionizing over the last few years,” said James Stapleton, who works in event staff with Pabst. “It really does feel like a moment in history that we get to join.” 

Stapleton said he wasn’t surprised by the results. 

“We, the workers, will have an equal footing with the company, our bosses,” Stapleton said. “It’s us, the workers, that put on these shows, who put on the events and really run the Pabst Theater Group. We deserve to have a voice in the operations and how we’re treated.” 

The next step for Pabst workers is to negotiate a contract with the company.  

“This is about having a voice in the workplace which means having a role in decisions that are very important to us that affect how our workplace operates,” said Justin Otto, who works in hospitality. “We think this is something that all workers deserve. It may look different at a place like Pabst than at other places but in essence, that’s the principle of how we see a union.” 

As more live entertainment venues are planned to be built in Milwaukee, box office worker Lulu Sanchez wonders if more workers will follow their lead.  

“It’ll be really cool to see how us unionizing will affect other, not just live entertainment, but service workers in general,” Sanchez said. “The more people you have, the more power you have and the better working environment it is for everyone working. You have more power when you unite with your coworkers.”