Sundance workers say they want change.
“We want to be staffed appropriately," said Sara Kenrick, a coordinator of event operations with Sundance. "We want to be compensated appropriately.”
She’s one of dozens of Sundance Institute employees involved in unionization efforts. Workers delivered their petition to Sundance leadership Monday.
Kenrick said employees were especially frustrated with the festival’s choice to leave Utah and ramped up unionization efforts in spring of this year.
Sundance announced in March it will move to Boulder, Colorado, in 2027.
Workers set a Friday deadline for Sundance leaders to recognize the union.
“We’re hopeful that our leadership recognizes us,” Kenrick said. “If not, I know staff are prepared to withhold labor.”
Striking is on the table because a union election can’t be legally recognized right now. The National Labor Relations Board, which supervises those elections, is closed during the federal government shutdown.
Still, Kenrick, who lives in Salt Lake City, said she’s optimistic.
“We’ve gotten more signatures since we’ve announced, and yeah, it’s really exciting,” she said. “We’re hopeful that our leadership stands by what they say, they see that we’re in good faith, wanting to work together with them, not against them.”
Kenrick said employees want better compensation, staffing and support and a voice in major Sundance Institute decisions.
She said about 70 workers are eligible for the union, and about 70% of those signed union cards.
In a statement Monday, Sundance board members and leadership acknowledged the decision to unionize and said they intend to collaborate with the workers.
This is a developing story.
