Entertainers and crewmembers on the Casa Bonita immersive restaurant, owned by South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, need to unionize with Actors’ Fairness and IATSE.
The restaurant, based mostly in Lakewood, Colorado, a suburb of Denver, not too long ago reopened after being purchased out of chapter by Parker and Stone. The restaurant options cliff divers, actors, puppeteers, magicians and extra as a part of the eating expertise, supported by crewmembers.
These employees need to unionize on account of a spread of issues, beginning with security at work, and together with inadequate coaching, in addition to honest pay, higher advantages, and higher communication between employees and administration. The employees requested for, however didn’t obtain, voluntary recognition, and are actually submitting with the Nationwide Labor Relations Board for an election.
The bargaining unit contains round 60 performers, divided into moist and dry entertainers, and about 20 crewmembers, who’re in search of illustration with IATSE.
Casa Bonita first opened in 1974 and has been recognized for its dimension, with 52,000 sq. ft and seating for greater than 1,000 folks, in addition to its decor and sights, together with the pink exterior and a 30-foot waterfall with cliff divers and dwell leisure inside. A 2003 South Park episode was set within the restaurant.
Parker and Stone bought the restaurant after it faltered throughout the pandemic, and renovated the constructing for $40 million, as was documented within the 2024 documentary ¡Casa Bonita Mi Amor!. Following a tender launch, the restaurant totally reopened to the general public in September 2024. Staff had been rehired shortly after the renovation and had been in rehearsals main as much as the tender launch on the finish of June.
Security issues sparked the diver workforce’s curiosity in unionizing, stated dive lead Bethel Lindsley, after incidents involving unsafe carbon monoxide ranges in a holding room, which she says have been ultimately addressed after her divers refused to work in these circumstances, in addition to a problem with a diver turning into hypothermic because of the building of the dive package and the truth that the divers have been moist for 4 to 6 hours at a time. Adjustments have been additionally made round this.
On Sunday, Lindsley stated two divers collided underwater, inflicting one to have a critical concussion and to be taken to the hospital. All through this, Lindsley says she has written and offered security insurance policies to administration, a few of which have been applied after pushback. However she is pushing to see security insurance policies enshrined in a contract.
“My workforce simply needs to work and know that they’re going to be protected and that the folks have the right coaching and consciousness of insurance policies and procedures in place in case one thing goes fallacious. And fortuitously, my workforce is spectacular, and we’ve solely had one accident now, however when the chance is that this excessive, the response and coaching stage wants to fulfill that,” Lindsley stated.
A consultant for Casa Bonita didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
Lindsley stated the employees are additionally in search of a greater stage of communication with administration, along with higher advantages and higher pay. She famous that the divers make above minimal wage for the realm, however that it’s not a “residing wage,” and the divers can not settle for ideas or take part within the tipping pool, not like servers.
“For all of us, it’s a particular place, as pricey to us individually as it’s to the neighborhood who strains as much as go to every day. We admire how a lot you’ve given of yourselves to make Casa Bonita a world-class vacation spot for a brand new technology. As you stated a number of occasions within the ¡Casa Bonita Mi Amor! documentary, it’s like Broadway — and that’s why we imagine the unions which have organized Broadway’s employees onstage and off may help guarantee we’re capable of proceed delivering world-class leisure right here for years to come back,” the leisure employees stated in a letter despatched to Parker and Stone.
“We imagine a robust union contract may assist us resolve a few of the challenges we’ve encountered round security, scheduling, compensation, and communication. Having a doc that clearly units shared expectations — and the mechanisms to implement these expectations — will strengthen Casa Bonita and allow us to supply the absolute best expertise for our company,” the letter continues.