Pabst Theater Group and members of Milwaukee Area Service and Hospitality workers union have come to an agreement with near unanimous support from voting members.

On Thursday MASH announced roughly 98% of workers voted in favor of a contract with their employe, Pabst Theater Group, which operates multiple live entertainment venues including the Pabst Theater, Riverside Theater, Turner Hall Ballroom and others.

“It’s proof that when workers are engaged and mobilized, that you can get things done,” said Justin Otto who works in hospitality.

More:Pabst Theater Group workers vote to form a union, adding to a string of local union victories

PTG Live, which is known as Pabst Theater Group, did not respond for comment.

The contract lasts through September 2024 and includes wage increases, along with clear definitions of job responsibilities, paid sick leave, progressive discipline and other provisions.

The average wage increase was 15% with some positions getting as much as a 25% increase.

“Wages are flashy, and we did get incredibly quality wage increases to our base wages as well as guaranteed longevity pay for those who have been around a while and guaranteed cost of living adjustments,” Connor Erickson, event lead, said.

Erickson added a guaranteed progressive discipline provision is a benefit that workers will better understand later in the life of the contract.

“You can’t just get fired because you were late one day and then slow working the other day,” Erickson said. “There has to be progressive steps before you lose your job.”

Otto said having specific job responsibilities will help the workers understand each role clearly.

“I do think also that a big thing that we achieved in this deal was clarifying the exact work that each position does, the responsibilities that each position has and actually making sure that those things are recognized and compensated properly,” Otto said.

Contract years in the making

Erickson said the union succeeded in creating a “incredibly strong first contract that is going to bring a lot of impactful quality of life changes to employees new and current.”

“Everybody should feel proud about what we’ve accomplished,” Erickson said. “We’re shaping entertainment in Milwaukee.”

The contract was years in the making for some workers.

“I started working (at Pabst Theater Group) after the pandemic, but this organizing began prior to the pandemic,” Erickson said. “And for organizers to be able to keep momentum and keep influence over a two year stretch where work wasn’t happening, to be able to come back and have overwhelming support ... it’s tough to spend so long working toward something and have it pan out better than you hoped it would.”

The contract lasts until September 2024, which may seem short, but workers believe it will be a benefit.

“I think it’s pretty great that we have a short first contract,” Otto said. “It gives us the opportunity to do the implementing, monitoring, enforcing this contract. And then have the opportunity before too long, if there are things that aren’t perfect about the first contract, that we can adjust and make changes in the next one.”

Erickson said having a short contract also keeps the union in the minds of workers.

“A shorter duration allows us to constantly maintain energy and excitement and momentum about not just where we are as employees but where we can keep growing,” Erickson said. “We’re going to be able to maintain this pace of constantly improving quality of life for employees.”

The contract puts Pabst Theater Group employees' pay in line with the pay for workers at Fiserv Forum, who also are represented by MASH.

“We won wages that are now competitive with the market in town and in a lot of ways are at the top of the market for a lot of these positions,” Otto said.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Pabst Theater Group, workers ratify union contract for all 6 locations