IATSE Protesting AEW For Working With Non-Union Venue 2300 Arena Ahead Of Residency, AEW Comments

IATSE (International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees) is protesting AEW at the 2300 Arena ahead of its residency, which begins on August 27.

IATSE posted the following statement on Twitter/X:

“This week, IATSE Local 8 members are out in force to inform the public that All Elite Wrestling (AEW) events in Philadelphia are failing to meet area standards by paying substandard wages and benefits. When employers undercut these standards it threatens wages, benefits, and job opportunities for all entertainment workers in the community. We stand in solidarity with our Local 8 kin as they hold employers accountable and fight to protect the fair standards that entertainment workers deserve!”

The group elaborated on Facebook:

IATSE Local 8 has been informed that AEW/ 2300 ARENA have scheduled events in the Philadelphia area below the area standards set by IATSE Local 8 for similar work. IATSE Local 8 is investigating the wages, benefits and working conditions under which the employees working this event in our jurisdiction are being paid. It has come to our attention that the wages, benefits and working conditions may be below the prevailing area standard negotiated by IATSE Local 8 in this industry. The standard is as follows:
$ 40.00 Journeyman hourly wages
$ 15% Health & Welfare contribution on gross wages
$ 12% Annuity contribution on gross wages
$ 8% Pension contribution on gross wages
$ 1% Training contribution on gross wages
$ 54.40 All In Total

It is simple economics that the substandard wages, benefits and working conditions that are being paid by AEW/ 2300 ARENA tend to depress the wages, benefits and working conditions negotiated by the union and limit the employment opportunities of workers we represent. In addition, any workers for this event, who are listed as Independent Contractors and paid under 1099, violates the Pennsylvania Construction Workplace Misclassification Act (Act 72). Employers who violate Act 72 can face criminal and administrative penalties, including fines and potential stop-work orders.

This letter is not a request that you enter into collective bargaining with our union or that you refuse to employ any individual or group of individuals nor do we intend to interfere with the rights of your employees to work without becoming members of the union. We do not seek to organize your employees nor does this organization seek to represent them.
If we are incorrect with respect to the current wages, benefits, and working conditions being paid, please advise us immediately and submit documentation of your claim to the below address. In the absence of such change, with supporting documentation, we intend to inform the public that AEW/ 2300 ARENA is undermining area standards and that the labor for this event are receiving substandard wages, benefits and working conditions. The method we use to inform, the public may include handbills and bannering at venues where AEW/ 2300 ARENA have scheduled events.

IATSE is already in front of the 2300 Arena ahead of AEW Dynamite. When asked why they are protesting, a union member replied, “2300 Arena is a Nonunion venue. It has been for a while. They’ve kept the unions out for a long time. AEW, though they might not typically work in nonunion venues, they’re doing it now with probably the biggest show to come to this venue in a long time. They have the ability to make that change and say, ‘Hey, we’re not going to do this show with the 10 high school kids you pulled off the bench park.”

In this video from Local 8's Facebook page, they explain 2300 Arena is a non-union venue that AEW is choosing to work with. AEW will run 7 events there from tonight through Sept 6. pic.twitter.com/LgevyoNY1c

— Brandon Thurston (@BrandonThurston) August 27, 2025

2300 Arena CEO Roger Artigiani gave the following statement to POST Wrestling:

“Our workers are being paid the fair wage that they claim is not being paid.”

AEW issued a statement to POST Wrestling:

“All Elite Wrestling has paid, and will continue to pay, the prevailing wages to all locals used as part of our residency at the venue and has maintained a great relationship with IATSE Local 8 for previous events held at other venues in Philadelphia,” an AEW spokesperson said. “Any current demonstrations being held are between 2300 Arena and IATSE Local 8.”

A spokesperson with IATSE’s nationwide offices gave the following statement:

“Our concerns specifically pertain to stagehands. Neither the 2300 Arena nor AEW have provided documentation showing that stagehands are being paid the area standard set by IATSE Local 8, or that workers are not being misclassified as independent contractors.”

The AEW residency at 2300 Arena began on August 27th and runs until September 11.

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