Workers at Alamo Drafthouse locations in Downtown Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan have ended a 58-day strike after reaching an agreement with management that includes the reinstatement of 70 employees who were laid off in February. The deal was ratified by NYC Alamo United, a union affiliated with UAW Local 2179.
Under the agreement, workers will return with their original hire date, seniority, pay rate, and previously accrued paid time off and sick leave. Union members are expected to resume work officially on April 18, with all reinstatements to be completed by May 1.
“Strike won! All jobs are back!” the union announced Monday on social media. They also encouraged moviegoers to begin visiting the theaters again immediately.
The layoffs occurred on February 3, with Alamo Drafthouse citing low box office expectations for the first quarter. A source close to the company described the move as a seasonal adjustment, noting that such staffing changes are common following the holiday period. Union organizers pushed back on that explanation, stating that reductions in hours are standard practice during slower periods, not layoffs.
In response to the layoffs, the union filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board. The complaint alleged a refusal to respond to information requests and accused the company of bypassing bargaining obligations by declaring an impasse and implementing terminations without agreement.
Pickets were held at both theaters as well as Sony’s New York offices, the home of Alamo CEO Michael Kustermann in Connecticut, and at locations in Manhattan’s Financial District. Sony Pictures Entertainment acquired Alamo Drafthouse in mid-2024.
https://twitter.com/nycalamounited/status/1911923367177044404
“After 58 days on strike, the workers of NYC Alamo United voted overwhelmingly to ratify an agreement with Sony-owned Alamo Drafthouse that will reinstate the jobs of the laid-off employees,” the union said in a statement.
Matthew Rivera, a union member, said in a message to supporters, “We did what we set out to do. We showed them our independent spirit.” Fellow worker Anthony Squitire added, “We hope all workers, especially those in the service industry, see our win and are inspired to organize their own workplaces.”
Contract negotiations between the union and management will continue this week. UAW Local 2179 confirmed that discussions for a first labor agreement are ongoing.
A source close to the company said that Alamo had already extended rehire offers to affected employees nationwide on April 7, including those in New York. The company maintains that it intended to bring back staff once business conditions improved.
The strike in New York followed similar action at Alamo’s Sloans Lake location in Colorado, where workers walked off the job in mid-February. That strike ended within days after several laid-off employees were reinstated.
In March, workers at the chain’s Slaughter Lane location in Austin, Texas, announced plans to unionize. The group cited the earlier layoffs as a driving force behind their decision.
