Oregon Shakespeare Festival Workers Ratify First Contract
Chris Garlock | Published on 6/18/2025
Box office and group sales workers at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF) have unanimously
ratified their first contract as members of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 154.
This is the latest victory for the local, which now represents workers in 18 different departments at the 90-year-old nonprofit theater, including facilities, costuming, front-of-house, concessions and more. It didn’t come easy though—during the contract fight, OSF management brought in a union-busting consultant and engaged in regressive bargaining. But IATSE members refused to back down, taking their contract fight public to pressure OSF to do the right thing. And now, they’re enjoying a contract that guarantees minimum hours, rest days, just-cause termination, recall rights and a cell phone stipend, among other wins.
“Our Box Office workers are resilient, hardworking people who deserve a fair contract. After nine months of negotiations, they secured working protections that were actively being threatened,” said Breena Cope, IATSE Local 154 business agent. “We are proud to represent the box office workers under the Local 154 banner. Every worker at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival is valuable, and each of them deserves to have their work represented by a strong union contract.”
AFL-CIO Daily Brief