Service + Solidarity Spotlight: Equity Reaches New Heights by Organizing Lecturers at Griffith Observatory

Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service + Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.

When Shakespeare said, “All the world’s a stage,” he wasn’t thinking big enough. On Monday, the entire universe became a stage as Actors’ Equity Association (Equity) filed a petition to form a union with planetarium lecturers at Los Angeles’ iconic Griffith Observatory. The entirety of the planetarium’s lecture staff have signed union authorization cards, and Equity is seeking voluntary recognition from the city of Los Angeles.

“We are incredibly proud and deeply protective of the work we do here,” explained Michael Faulkner, one of the planetarium lecturers. “Organizing with Equity, to have a collective voice when speaking to our employer, is one way of ensuring mutual respect between the parties, so that the tradition of live lecturers can remain a cherished part of the Griffith Observatory experience for millions of locals and tourists alike.”