KC’s new management has communicated its intention to radically alter the Center’s programming priorities, eliminate staff, and dismantle our mission-essential programs. 

Collective organizing offers a structure of “strength in numbers” to defend our shared interests as arts programmers and producers, protect our job security, negotiate the terms of our employment (e.g telework), protect speech, and provide access to a neutral, third party arbitration process to resolve disputes, including wrongful termination. Additionally, union representation positions us firmly inside a powerful network (both nationally and at the KC) of unionized workers fighting for workplace rights and fair treatment.

After we form a union, we will have the power to improve workplace conditions and negotiate the terms of our employment through the collective bargaining process. Here are some things that other workers have gained through unionizing:

Job security and legal protection from wrongful termination

Protection against retaliation

Freedom of speech protections and creative programming autonomy

Access to a neutral, third party arbitration process to resolve disputes, including wrongful termination.

Negotiate improved benefits, wages, and salary transparency

Access to national network of worker advocacy resources

Negotiated fair and consistent terms for hiring and firing

Demand for adequate transparency in communications and institutional updates

1. Recruit a network of leaders from across the Kennedy Center: We host conversations to assess support among workers within the bargaining unit.

2. Action (YOU!): Express your support by signing a card (electronic option available) and returning to a member of the Organizing Committee.

Once collected, we will deliver the signed cards to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). 

The NLRB will order an election and a date will be set.

3. Action (YOU!): Vote “YES” on election day! 

The NLRB requires support from 50% of ballots cast + 1 to form a union. If we win - the union is formed and we move forward with collective bargaining.

We are forming a union of all non-supervisory KC administrative and production staff in Programming, Education, Development, Marketing, the NSO, and WNO. If you have questions about whether you are in this group, email KennedyCenterUAW@gmail.com.

Vote YES! This is the most important step. Elections will be held on the date set by the National Labor Relations Board.

If you aren’t a worker at The Kennedy Center, find other ways to support here.

It is illegal for Management to retaliate, intimidate, and/or terminate an employee for union organizing or expressing support for union efforts.

We are organizing to join United Auto Workers (UAW). Contrary to its name, UAW isn’t just auto workers – the union consists of a wide range of workers across the for-profit and non-profit sectors, including successfully unionizing large arts institutions such as the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) in NYC.

About UAW

The UAW has been actively involved in civil rights legislative battles since the 1950s, including the campaigns to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Fair Housing Act, the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1988 and legislation to prohibit discrimination against women, the elderly and people with disabilities. UAW is one of the largest and well-known unions in the US.

We hope that The Kennedy Center’s management will agree to a fair process for us forming our union, refrain from retaliation and misinformation, and follow all relevant labor laws.

No. Cards will be presented to the National Labor Relations Board, at which time Management will be notified of a petition to hold an election.

Voting is done by secret ballot, with an election to be set at a later date.

As part of the UAW, we would not pay dues until we have gone through the bargaining process and voted democratically to approve our first contract. Once our contract is approved, dues are:

1.44% of gross monthly income

Dues are critical for providing us with independent resources that are not controlled by the KC: dues are used to ensure we have appropriate legal, bargaining, and staff support to represent all KC workers in our bargaining unit. Dues can only be increased by membership action (the membership in a few local unions, for example, have voted to increase dues above 1.44% to have more resources). 

GOOD NEWS: The value of increased wages and benefits in the first contract typically outweighs the cost of dues, often leading to overwhelming majority approval of those agreements.

Union organizing is an unparalleled method of gaining power in the workplace and advancing shared goals. Forming a union fundamentally alters the relationship between Management and Employees, allowing us to demand changes, define terms of employment, and democratically select everything that goes into our working conditions. 

As a union, we will have a seat at the table with management and will participate in collective bargaining to improve workplace conditions. We will democratically decide together what we want to bargain for. Some common issues that people have mentioned include “just cause” employment, telework, transparency, and salary.

Yes! We will have strength in numbers as we join our “union strong” colleagues in PR, Box Office, and Production: IATSE local 22 (Stagehands), IATSE local 868 (Box Office & Groups Sales & Subscriptions), IATSE local 829 (Designers), IATSE local 772 (Wardrobe), IATSE local 798 (Make-Up & Hair), and ATPAM (Theater Managers).