The Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda is being accused by a local labor union of violating a previously agreed-upon contract and of acting “illegally.”

The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) has filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board accusing the 37-year-old music center of unfair labor practices in response to July layoffs of 19 full and part-time box office ticket sellers.

In particular, the union alleges that these layoffs violated a tentative agreement reached in April in which a minimum staffing requirement was set.

“[Strathmore] is making up the rules as they go along. They are deciding what they will and will not follow. And that’s… illegal,” said Anne Vantine, the business agent for IATSE Local 868 which represents Strathmore’s ticket sellers. “They can’t rewrite a contract because they don’t like it.”

Monica Jeffries Hazangeles, president and CEO at Strathmore, said in a statement to DCist/WAMU that “drastic” declines in revenue and an unclear timeline for the industry’s recovery has forced the music and arts center to “take new measures to ensure our ongoing financial sustainability.”

“Whether through layoff, furlough, or reduced compensation, every single member of our team has been impacted in some way. We care about all of our colleagues, and we know that these are challenging times for everyone. Throughout the pandemic, we have continued to meet with our Ticket Office colleagues to negotiate and we remain committed to working with our team members from I.A.T.S.E. Local 868 to come to an agreement soon,” the statement reads.

Like many arts and music venues in recent months, Strathmore, which is the National Philharmonic’s base and D.C.-area home to the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, is reporting a drastic decline in revenue — more than 35% as of late July, according to Bethesda Beat. According to IATSE, the music venue posted a “record-breaking” $5 million in ticket revenue in 2019 and ended the year with a surplus.

And there are events currently on Strathmore’s calendar, including an outdoor arts installation called Monuments: Creative Forces that will run through this month with timed tickets.

Vantine says the workers she represents, if brought back to their jobs, could help bring in more revenue. “If we’re able to service patrons and sell tickets and get people in to the planned performances, that would increase revenue,” says Vantine. “Our job is to increase revenue.”

With the layoffs, the venue currently has one person doing the job of our four full-time people, says Vantine, who added that she believes the layoffs are partly in retaliation against workers for unionizing.

DCist/WAMU has reached out to Strathmore for comment on the allegations.

This isn’t the only local music venue that has laid-off or asked workers to take pay cuts as a result of lost revenue due to the pandemic. The Kennedy Center announced furloughs for members of the National Symphony Orchestra, only to reverse their decision in favor of pay cuts.