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A newsletter from the Guthrie Theater Front-Facing Staff Union, dated Friday, Jan. 25, announced that IATSE Local 13 and the front-facing departments at the Guthrie met with Guthrie senior management. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss creating a union contract — and quickly ran into disagreements about DEIA (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility), as well as other labor questions.

This will be the first contract for a union representing employees who directly interact with patrons.

The newsletter reported that the union is in early stages. “Unfortunately, the Guthrie’s initial offer to us was notably missing much of what’s important to their workers.” 

The Guthrie responded with a statement, saying it “has a proud history of working with unions, including IATSE Local 13 and is endeavoring to build a positive, collaborative relationship with the unit it currently represents.” 

The theater added that “negotiations are proceeding with the new bargaining unit, and we look forward to working with IATSE Local 13 to come to a fair and effective contract.” 

The Guthrie’s statement points to the theater’s long relationship with IATSE Local 13, which has represented Guthrie costume and wardrobe employees, stagehands and craftspersons. The Guthrie also partners with the Actors’ Equity Association (AEA); Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC); United Scenic Artists, Local USA 829 and the American Federation of Musicians (AFM).

According to the union newsletter, the Guthrie is unwilling to make the negotiation meetings open to the front-facing staff members who will be affected. This includes over 130 members. Representatives will attend the meetings and share information with the rest of the workers. 

The theater also wants to classify their employment as “at will” rather than “just cause.” “They want to retain the right to fire you for no reason, without warning and without protection from the union,” the newsletter claims. The proposed contract from the Guthrie would also expand the list of actions the organization can take without union interference, including demotions, reducing hours or pay and removing jobs. 

According to the union, The Guthrie would also like all references to DEIA removed from the contract. The union’s anti-discrimination proposal was 900 words, while they claim the Guthrie's reduced it to 200. This includes language protecting accessibility, and anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policies.

The newsletter states that the Guthrie would like DEIA policies to exist only in the employee handbook, “which they can change at any time.”

The newsletter says “this is especially disheartening given the political attacks being leveled against DEIA work by the Trump administration right now, but even more so for an institution which still publicly claims DEIA as a core value.”

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Front-facing staff at the Guthrie, represented by IATSE Local 13, are negotiating their first union contract with management, facing disagreements over DEIA language and labor protections.

Guthrie Theater union negotiations are complicated by labor, DEI issues

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