A New Era for Escape Room Workers
At the Basement, a haunted escape room experience located in Sylmar, guests are challenged to evade a deranged serial killer by solving puzzles. However, what makes this venue unique is not just its thrilling atmosphere but also the recent development of its employees forming a union. The actors who work as game masters and perform as distressed abductees at the venue are now operating under union protection.
This week, the Basement’s union voted unanimously to ratify its first working contract, making it the first and only escape room to have a union and operate under a collective bargaining agreement. The group is recognized as part of the Actors’ Equity Assn., which represents more than 51,000 actors and managers in live entertainment.
Jenna Wagner, an actor at the Basement, shared her perspective on the new contract, which was bargained by a dozen employees including herself. She stated that the contract will “improve general unit morale” by addressing higher wages, greater safety provisions, scheduling, and media protections. Wagner emphasized that the unionization effort feels validating because it acknowledges the performers’ roles as actors.
The Basement’s union was formed two years ago. Management, led by founder and chief executive Kayden Ressel, voluntarily recognized its workers’ efforts to join Actors’ Equity. Ressel, who used to work as a scare actor at haunted attractions, understood where his employees were coming from. He expressed excitement about the union efforts and hopes that the finalized contract will raise the bar for other escape rooms.
The Sylmar attraction first opened in 2014 and employs 15 people. Across 3,000 square feet, it offers four interactive room choices where groups get to decide between escaping different areas of the haunted house. Live actors are involved in three of the four experiences. (The Basement is one of the few escape rooms to hire actors.) Two other Basement locations can be found in Las Vegas and Kansas City, Mo.
Ressel is considering offering a discount of 10% to 20% for customers who belong to unions. This move reflects the growing recognition of the value of unionized labor in the entertainment industry.
The popularity of escape rooms in the U.S. goes back to the early 2010s, when interest in interactive experiences was at an all-time high. Today, there are around 75 escape rooms in the L.A. area and more than 2,000 across the country. According to data from the media company Room Escape Artist and the escape room app Morty, the industry stabilized at the current facility count in 2022, after shrinking more than 10% during the pandemic.
Noah Nelson, a professor at the California Institute of the Arts and founder of immersive arts publication No Proscenium, said that Actors’ Equity’s recognition of the Basement’s workers is a step in the right direction as the union welcomes more nontraditional units. He noted that the value of live entertainment is being recognized beyond traditional venues such as regional theaters, Broadway houses, or concert venues.
There is an industry here that stretches beyond just the big houses, and at the end of the day, I view the signs of organizing in these spaces as nothing but a good sign for the overall health of the industry.
The Actors’ Equity Assn. was founded in 1913 and is known for representing live performers typically in theatrical productions. In recent years, the definition of live entertainment has expanded, and Actors’ Equity has recognized performers at the Griffith Observatory, Drunk Shakespeare companies, and even the dancers at the Star Garden Topless Dive Bar in North Hollywood. There are also ongoing negotiations for Disneyland’s cast members and the entertainers at the Casa Bonita restaurant in Denver.
Stefanie Frey, the director of organizing and mobilization at Actors’ Equity, said in a statement that the union views “escape rooms and similar immersive entertainment experiences as another live stage.” She also said the union expects “others in this growing community will seek out our union for representation.”
Actress Brooke Shields, the president of Actors’ Equity, said, “Negotiating a first contract is always a challenge, and in this case, we had no other unionized escape rooms to use for a model.” These workers stuck together through a long process, and seeing what they’ve achieved, I’m sure they agree it was worth it,” she said in a statement. “They have made history for a swiftly growing sector of our industry.”
