IATSE Wins Representation in Three Brooklyn Venues

IATSE Local 4 has had a landmark summer, winning union representation for workers across three prominent Brooklyn live entertainment venues.

On July 9, management at Pacha New York voluntarily recognized Local 4 as the exclusive collective bargaining representative for the venue's 21 production employees. One of the largest electronic music venues in the United States, Pacha New York occupies the former Brooklyn Mirage complex in East Williamsburg, having reopened in 2026 under the globally recognized Pacha brand following a major ownership change.

The campaign was the product of months of sustained outreach, education, and organizing work by Local 4. Central to that effort was a suite of educational materials designed to walk workers through the organizing process clearly and accessibly. The response from workers was overwhelmingly positive, and the employer raised no significant objections, resulting in voluntary recognition. Local 4 and Pacha New York management are moving forward toward bargaining a first collective bargaining agreement.

Local 4 also secured voluntary recognition from National Sawdust, a nonprofit performing arts venue in Williamsburg. Since opening in 2015, it has built an international reputation for presenting contemporary, experimental, and multidisciplinary productions. In an intimate space seating 350 patrons, it is widely regarded as one of New York City's premier venues for innovative live performance.

Following a campaign of approximately ten months, management voluntarily recognized Local 4 as the bargaining representative for 26 lighting, audio, and video technicians. Negotiations toward a first collective bargaining agreement are currently underway.

"One of the most common themes we encounter when negotiating with nonprofit employers is the claim that there simply isn't enough money to improve wages and benefits," says business agent Kenneth Purdy. "If an employer can consistently increase executive compensation while claiming there are no resources available for the employees who produce the work, that is a question worth asking at the bargaining table."

Local 4 also secured a significant jurisdictional agreement at Under the K Bridge, one of New York City's newest and fastest-growing outdoor concert venues. Located beneath the Kosciuszko Bridge in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, the seven-acre open-air space is run in partnership with The Bowery Presents and the North Brooklyn Parks Alliance and draws major national and international touring artists to a capacity crowd of up to 6,000 patrons.

For more than a year, The Bowery Presents operated the venue using non-union labor. Local 4 repeatedly sought meaningful discussions about the scope of production work at the venue, and after sustained pressure, an agreement was reached. Because Bowery had an existing contract with a third-party labor provider, Local 4 negotiated directly with that company, assuming responsibility for the venue's rigging and machinery work for the 2026 season. The agreement establishes a clear path to full Local 4 production jurisdiction beginning with the following season.

"The Under the K Bridge agreement is about more than one venue. It's about protecting Local 4's jurisdiction and ensuring that major entertainment companies invest in the skilled professionals who make every show possible," Purdy says. "This agreement should serve as a reminder that Local 4 must continue engaging with AEG Presents and the companies within its network to ensure that every venue and event it produces in New York reflects the union standards our members have earned throughout the industry."