Workers at Colorado-based Movement climbing gyms file unfair labor practice charges

Workers from Movement climbing gyms filed unfair labor practices charges with the National Labor Relations Board on Friday, alleging the Colorado-based company “interfered with, restrained and coerced employees” when its CEO refused a meeting with union representation, according to the workers’ union.

The charges allege Movement CEO Anne-Worley Moelter engaged in unfair labor practices after a group of employees from climbing gyms across the country flew to Colorado to meet with her to discuss their stalled union contract negotiations, according to a news release issued by Climbing Workers United.

Movement, in a statement emailed Friday, said it takes legal obligations, including labor law, seriously and is committed to engaging with team members in good faith and with respect.

“More broadly, Movement remains focused on maintaining open communication with all of our teams and continuing to strengthen the team member experience across our gyms,” the statement, sent by company representative Lynn Munroe, said.

Since 2021, workers at Movement gyms — the largest climbing gym operator in North America — have begun unionizing and fighting for higher wages, benefits and for the company to address staffing and safety concerns, the union said. However, the company has not agreed to a first contract with any of the workers, the union said.

In October, a group of Movement employees nationwide gathered in Boulder to meet with the CEO. According to the union, employees were told they could not bring their union representation into the meeting and had to stash their phones outside the room. The unfair labor practice charge said this behavior conveyed to the union members that “their choice of union representation was disfavored and would result in less favorable treatment.”

If Movement is found to have violated federal labor law, the NLRB could require remedies such as cease-and-desist requirements or other steps to restore workers’ rights, the union said.

Dana Lavin, a 28-year-old instructor and front desk supervisor at a Movement gym in Philadelphia, was among the union employees who flew to Colorado for a meeting with the CEO at the gym’s Boulder location.

Lavin said she loves her job and the community it’s created. To make the job more sustainable, she said leadership should better train employees in first aid and emergency procedures and pay higher wages so workers don’t need to stretch themselves thin at multiple jobs to make ends meet. At Lavin’s gym, she said employees start at $13.50 an hour.

Lavin and her peers are asking Worley Moelter to come to the bargaining table and for the company to get serious about contract negotiations.

“If we didn’t love our gyms and love what we offer to people, we wouldn’t go through all this,” Lavin said.

Movement, in its statement, said a group of team members arrived in Boulder “unannounced, and outside of any bargaining session — where it would be appropriate to have a union representative and company counsel present.”

When the employees asked to see Worley Moelter, Movement said the CEO cleared her schedule and met with them for a “productive conversation in which she encouraged questions.”