WINNIPEG

UNION BUSTING

Curtains for Celebrations Dinner Theatre

Author of the article:

Winnipeg Sun

Published Sep 08, 2023  • 

Celebrations Dinner Theatre in Winnipeg. In midst of a strike action, Celebrations Dinner Theatre announced Friday, Sept. 8, 2023, that after 25 years it is closing its doors permanently, citing financial pressures. It's ad cast and box office staff had been on the picket line since Tuesday. 

PHOTO BY GLEN DAWKINS /Winnipeg Sun

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In midst of a strike action, Celebrations Dinner Theatre announced Friday that after 25 years it is closing its doors permanently, citing financial pressures.

Advertisement 2“Faced with the huge cost of inflation on many fronts including the ever-increasing cost of goods of every kind, increased cost of wages, rising interest rates, and left-over debt from a global pandemic, we have decided that we are no longer able to operate at a profitable level,” a statement from Celebrations Dinner Theatre said. “We see no other viable road forward that would lead to having a profitable dinner theatre business in this market.”

In a statement, the union representing its striking workers which have been on the picket line since Tuesday said Bob Cunningham, the owner of Act Three Entertainment Inc., notified the union Friday afternoon that Celebrations was choosing to close its doors permanently and that the union’s members were notified that they have been terminated, effective immediately.

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The members really believed in their work at Celebrations, they even paid out of pocket for their own costumes and they were hopeful that the company would recognize their dedication in return,” said Jeff Traeger, President of UFCW Local 832. “It’s shameful that the business model for Celebrations didn’t account for paying employees a fair wage or offering them any benefits, and the employer chose to close their doors instead of treating their employees with the respect they deserve.”

As with many workers, inflation and economic conditions have made it difficult for the workers to make ends meet, the union said, and they chose to wait three years for the business to find its footing after the pandemic. The business was fully operational and busier than ever when the union and Celebrations began bargaining earlier this year. Despite that, Celebrations refused to provide more than minimum wage and its workers voted unanimously in favour of strike action.

UFCW 832 represents 33 members who work for Celebration Dinner Theatre in ad cast and box office. The Union has ensured that all members are aware of the employer’s decision, and will be helping them with career transition and employment insurance in the days ahead. Their picket line closed up on Friday evening.