By Ruby Kollar

Earlier last week, workers at a climbing gym in Gowanus organized an event to promote a health and safety committee for their union. Staff from multiple locations, union workers and climbers wore red to show their support for the union.

Movement Gym workers at LIC and Gowanus locations have been unionized for almost a year — and now, they are fighting for a health and safety committee. Their unionization was initially sparked by the buyout of these locations by Movement. Two years ago, The Cliffs, a smaller franchise of climbing gyms, operated gyms in LIC, Gowanus, Harlem, Valhalla and one in Callowhill, Philadelphia. In late 2023 all five gyms were bought out and rebranded as Movement Gyms. This sudden change in management caused concern among the gym workers and talk of unionization grew.

The LIC gym unionized in early 2024, followed by the Gowanus location later that year. But there is still work to be done, union representatives noted. Michael Quiles, a coach at Movement LIC for three years, has experienced and worked through the buyout and union organization first hand. “We’re proposing a health and safety committee,” he said, “that can bring up certain issues in the gym in regards to air quality, rope fraying, things of that nature.” The union wants to address these issues with arbitration, while Movement rejects ideas for a third party opinion on problems the gyms may face. (The company did not respond to a request for comment.)

In the northeast, Movement gyms see threats to health and safety in regards to cleanliness and equipment constantly, workers allege. At the Gowanus event, speakers outlined their concerns: mold on the staffroom’s ceiling, which poses a threat to respiratory health. Frayed ropes, which threaten the safety of climbers and staff. And most shockingly, water damage that has caused mushrooms to grow in some parts of the gym. 

“If I want to have a safe experience and a good experience climbing,” said Serenity Scattoni, who has climbed at Movement for the past three years, “I know that I need the workers and the facility to also mirror that and be safe and fair.”

Movement Union workers want to build a safer community not only for themselves but the climbing community that occupy these gyms. City Councilwoman Shahana Hanif made an appearance at the event and demonstrated her support and admiration for the union. She expressed concern about the climbing ropes, equipment failure and lack of accountability of Movement management. She ended with a quick remark directed towards management: “They have been stalling, and it seems like they know how unions bust,” said Hanif, “but we know how to organize.” 

LIC and Gowanus are not alone in their campaign. Other Movement locations across the country have also unionized over the course of the past couple of years. Movement Crystal City in Virginia became the first climbing gym in the nation to unionize back in 2022. The gym was originally called Earth Treks and opened in 1997, before being acquired by Movement. When employees experienced the effects of the new corporate culture, including what they described as poor communication, they unionized. Then, two gyms in Chicago, who were also bought out by Movement, unionized after instructors were terminated with one week notice and little to no explanation. 

Competitors closer to home are following suit: After facing issues with pay and say in gym decisions, Vital locations in Williamsburg and Manhattan unionized in 2023. In May of this year, workers at Metrorock Bushwick petitioned the National Labor Rights Board for a union election. 

As Movement gyms grow, so does the climbing community. Today, climbing has become more mainstream, particularly since it became an olympic sport. And the climbing community is like no other in terms of support and togetherness. Whether you’re a new climber or an experienced one, the community is accepting and encouraging, which is why in many cases unions have support from customers and fellow climbers. 

“Climbing is a community, that’s what it’s all about, it’s what it’s always been about,” said Alexa Zielinski, a routesetter, who designs climbing routes at Movement Gowanus, during last week’s event. “It’s not about profit. It’s not about private equity. It’s all the people that you see around you right now, so thank you all for being here.”