🗞️ DC's Iconic Music Venues Face The Music After Split Recognition
NLRB petitions filed for It's My Party Inc, box office and technical crew operating 9:30 Club, The Anthem, The Atlantis, and Lincoln Theatre venues
IATSE Locals File for Repesentation While Hospitality Workers Secure Voluntary Recognition
Washington, D.C. – Two NLRB petitions filed December 4, 2025 mark the latest development in a unionization campaign at four Washington D.C. music venues operated by It's My Party Inc. (I.M.P.), revealing a split-path approach to organizing the historic concert halls.
IATSE Local 22 filed case 05-RC-376269 seeking to represent 105 stagehands, lighting technicians, and sound engineers across the 9:30 Club, The Anthem, The Atlantis, and Lincoln Theatre. Separately, IATSE Local 868 filed case 05-RC-376274 for 30 box office employees at the same venues.
The formal NLRB representation petitions follow I.M.P.'s voluntary recognition in November 2025 of Unite Here Local 25 for approximately 170 hospitality workers—food service, bartenders, and door staff. The dual-track approach reflects an organizing strategy common in entertainment venues, where different departments pursue separate representation.
Worker Concerns Drive Organizing Campaign
The unionization effort launched publicly on October 21, 2025, when over 300 workers delivered petitions requesting a card-check process. Workers cited insufficient wages, slightly above D.C's minimum wage, for physically demanding work, and inconsistent schedules forcing multiple jobs.
"A single beer at the 9:30 Club costs as much as an hour of our time, basically, and that feels honestly insulting," said Sierra Quimby, a lighting designer with over 11 years at I.M.P. venues, told Deadline.
In November, I.M.P. COO Donna Westmoreland granted voluntary recognition to Unite Here Local 25, writing it was "essential for us to collectively strengthen our workplace, improve communication, and chart a sustainable future." However, this recognition did not extend to IATSE-represented technical and box office workers, necessitating the leading to present NLRB proceedings.
The Venues
The four venues represent significant D.C. cultural landmarks. The 9:30 Club, opened in 1980, launched the careers of Nirvana, R.E.M., and Foo Fighters. Lincoln Theatre, dating to 1922, served as a cultural haven for the African American community during segregation. The Anthem, with 6,000 capacity, is one of the East Coast's largest venues. The Atlantis completes I.M.P.'s portfolio of performance spaces.
I.M.P. has worked with union production crews at other venues it operates, including Merriweather Post Pavilion, where IATSE has represented crews for 20 years.
Artist Support
Within days of the October petition delivery, 338 musicians signed a solidarity letter to I.M.P. owner Seth Hurwitz, including Tom Morello, members of Fugazi, Neko Case, and dozens of other acts. "I.M.P. employees work hard to make events at these venues a safe and enjoyable experience for performers and concertgoers alike," the letter stated.
What's Next
With voluntary recognition secured, Unite Here Local 25 will begin contract negotiations with I.M.P. for hospitality workers. Meanwhile, the 135 technical and box office workers await NLRB proceedings.
I.M.P. stated it "fundamentally believes" in workers' rights to collectively bargain and looks "forward to a robust dialogue" with the unions. The outcome could establish one of Washington D.C.'s most significant entertainment industry labor agreements in decades.
Key Facts
Company: It's My Party Inc. (I.M.P.)
Venues: 9:30 Club, The Anthem, The Atlantis, Lincoln Theatre
Total Workers: 300+
December 4, 2025 NLRB Filings:
- Case 05-RC-376269: IATSE Local 22 (105 technical crew)
- Case 05-RC-376274: IATSE Local 868 (30 box office)
November 2025: Unite Here Local 25 granted voluntary recognition (~170 hospitality workers)
Key Issues: poor wages, inconsistent schedules, eliminated perks, healthcare gaps
Timeline: Oct 21 petition delivery → Nov 12 voluntary recognition → Dec 4 NLRB filings
Based on NLRB filing data from December 4, 2025, and relevant news coverage from Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter, Washingtonian, Pollstar, FOX 5 DC, WJLA, and Unite Here Local 25.
