Griffith Observatory Lecturers Who Give Voice to the Planetarium’s Shows Ratify First Union Contract with the City of Los Angeles

The storytellers who introduce live audiences to the heavens at Griffith Observatory’s Samuel Oschin Planetarium theater have unanimously ratified their first collective bargaining agreement. The Los Angeles City Council also voted to approve the contract at its meeting today.

Following many years of wage stagnation, the planetarium’s lecturers will receive wage increases of 46.2% compounded over the contract’s 4½ year duration. Other negotiated improvements include regular meetings to discuss workplace concerns and a formalized grievance process.

The lecturers first announced their intent to unionize with the live stage union, Actors’ Equity Association, in September 2022, and their employer, the city of Los Angeles, granted the bargaining unit voluntary recognition in April of last year. Negotiations took place over the course of the last several months, and regularly included 11 of the 12 lecturers employed by the observatory. In addition to its unanimous approval by the members of the bargaining unit, Equity’s National Council also has approved the contract.

The lecturers provide 60-to-90-minute live presentations throughout the day, every day that the observatory is open. “Our work as artists is unique to this amazing cultural landmark, and we cherish it,” said Suzanne Ford, a Griffith Observatory lecturer. “For audiences from all over the world, we are privileged to create an experience like no other – a live performance that, every day, brings the wonders of the universe to life in an immediate and truly dramatic way. This contract affirms the value of our power as actors in the service of education and inspiration.”

This contract is not only a major milestone for the workers at Griffith, but for Actors’ Equity Association. This is Equity’s first public sector collective bargaining agreement in the union’s 111-year history. 

Equity, known primarily for representing actors and stage mangers on Broadway and at regional theaters, has expanded its organizing efforts, especially in Southern California.

This year, the union ratified a first contract for four recently organized Drunk Shakespeare locations across the country; in Anaheim 1,700 Cast Members at the Disneyland Resort organized with Equity and are now at the bargaining table with company representatives; most recently, the entertainment workers at Casa Bonita in Denver voted for union representation with both Equity and IATSE.

Equity encourages all workers in live performance who feel they would benefit from a union contract to contact the union’s organizing department at actorsequity.org/organize.
 

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