Last week, the Alberta Labour Relations Board published their latest new applications report for June 2025. In it was an application for union certification.
Local 212 of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts, also known as IATSE, filed the application on 18 June 2025 on behalf of stage workers employed by Vertigo Theatre Society.
Located in Calgary, Vertigo specializes in mystery theatre productions.
According to the application, Local 212 is trying to create a bargaining unit of all the stage workers employed by Vertigo, which is currently 7.
It would not include directors, designers, managers, office, clerical, ticket services, janitorial staff, front of house staff, performers, stage managers, bar staff, or any other workers covered by existing collective agreements.
To file for unionization in Alberta, unions must show that a potential bargaining unit has support from 40% of the workers in that unit. In this case, that would be 3 workers.
Assuming all of them follow through in their support, they would need to convince just 2 more fellow worker to vote in favour of unionizing to win.
However, before the ALRB holds the certification vote, they will hold a hearing, which they’ve scheduled for 4 July, which is this Friday. During this hearing, Vertigo’s management will have a chance to give arguments, if any, as to why they think these workers shouldn’t unionize with Local 212.
If the ALRB approves the application and holds the vote—and the workers vote in favour of unionizing—the next step for those workers would be to strike up a bargaining committee to begin negotiation a collective agreement.
Because the ALRB doesn’t archive their new applications reports, I’ve included a copy of this week’s report below for your convenience.
