Workers at Nitehawk Cinema’s Prospect Park location have voted to unionize.
Photo courtesy of Nitehawk Workers Union
After a “clandestine” monthslong organizing campaign, workers at Nitehawk Cinema’s Prospect Park location voted to unionize last weekend in a two-day election.
Employees at the beloved dine-in theater notified management of their plan to join up with United Auto Workers Local 2179 last month — citing unfair labor practices, unstable pay and scheduling, and safety concerns.
In the end, out of just over 100 eligible voters, 92 workers took part in the election on March 15 and 16, and voted 51-41 in favor of a union, said Will Bobrowski, second vice president at UAW Local 2179.
The brand-new bargaining unit includes full and part-time bartenders, line cooks, food runners, porters, and servers, according to the union.
Nitehawk workers have said they are underpaid and overworked, with the popular theater sometimes so understaffed it was unsafe for employees.
Bobrowski added some safety issues were reoccurring. In the summer, he said, the air conditioning goes out in the building semi-regularly — causing the concrete floors to become wet, slippery and dangerous for employees delivering food inside a dark movie theater.
“I think a lot of it really comes down to quality of life,” Bobrowsi said. “Which is to say, respectful, transparent communication with management.”
In an email, representatives of the Nitehawk Workers Union said management responded to their plan to unionize with “an aggressive union-busting campaign.”
“Workers faced a barrage of emails from owner Matthew Viragh filled with scare tactics and blatant misinformation,” the union wrote. “Meanwhile, upper management deployed relentless intimidation & threats against employees across all departments.”
Viragh denied any anti-union behavior.
“We have no idea about union-busting,” he told Brooklyn Paper in an email….
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