LAKEWOOD, Colo. — The people who bring entertainment to patrons at one of Colorado's most famous restaurants are planning to unionize in search of improved safety and better pay.
The performers and crew at Casa Bonita on West Colfax Avenue in Lakewood are organizing with the Actors' Equity Association and the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 7, according to a release from both unions.
The release said the entertainment workers, which includes cliff divers, actors, puppeteers, magicians and crew, are unionizing primarily to strengthen safety for employees. Concerns range from insufficient training to "abusive patrons emboldened by alcohol." They are also looking for "fair pay and benefits" and "clearer communication between workers and management."
"We believe a strong union contract could help us solve the challenges we’ve encountered around safety, scheduling, compensation and communication," said a statement attributed to the workers leading the unionization effort. "Having a document that clearly sets shared expectations – and the mechanisms to enforce those expectations – will strengthen Casa Bonita and enable us to provide the best possible experience for our guests.”
Equity, as the performers' union is commonly known, represents 51,000 professional actors and stage managers on Broadway, at Disneyland and Walt Disney World and in live theater across the country, according to the release. IATSE Local 7 represents theatrical stage, film and exhibition employees in Colorado, including the entire Denver metro area. The national organization represents about 170,000 behind-the-scenes entertainment workers across the United States and Canada.
When reached for comment, the Casa Bonita management provided the following statement:
"Casa Bonita values all its employees and their safety and believes they are treated well and compensated fairly. We respect the rights of our employees and believe they should be entitled to vote on whether they are subject to a union."
Employees have filed with the National Labor Relations Board for a union election, according to the release.
The Mexican restaurant filed for bankruptcy in 2021 after closing early in the pandemic. "South Park" creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone bought the restaurant, gave it a reported $40 million worth of renovations, and partnered with James Beard award nominee Dana Rodriguez to update the menu.
Casa Bonita reopened in June 2023. For more than a year, reservations were only available to people who received an invite through an email signup list. Walk-ins were not accepted. In September 2024, they opened reservations to the public.