The National Labor Relations Board Issues Complaint Against Casa Bonita in Denver

The National Labor Relations Board has issued a complaint against the management at Casa Bonita in Denver, accusing it of unfair labor practices. These charges include refusing to bargain with Actors' Equity Association in good faith, as well as discrimination against its staff that have unionized with Equity in the form of illegal firings, reduced hours and changes to working conditions. The trial is set for December 7, where the NLRB will present its evidence against Casa Bonita.

“This complaint vindicates what the workers have been saying throughout 18 months of bargaining: Casa Bonita would rather play games with their livelihoods than seriously bargain for a fair contract,' said Andrea Hoeschen, general counsel for Actors' Equity Association. 'The NLRB's complaint should be a wakeup call for the employer, but whether or not they choose to do the right thing, we're in this for the long haul. We'll see them back at the bargaining table soon – and then we'll see them in court.'

The entertainers, who include cliff divers, magicians, puppeteers and actors, are represented by Actors' Equity Association, the union that also represents more than 51,000 professional performers and stage managers working in live theatre across the country. Casa Bonita is a Mexican theme restaurant that has become a venerable Denver institution, which recently underwent a $40 million renovation bankrolled by billionaire owners Trey Parker and Matt Stone of South Park fame.

Equity and Casa Bonita management have been in negotiations since April 2025. The performers unanimously voted to unionize in November 2024, and unanimously reaffirmed their commitment to the union with their labor peace vote on August 14, 2025. In September of last year, the union filed an Unfair Labor Practices charge against Casa Bonita when the restaurant illegally cut more than 1,000 hours from the workers without engaging in bargaining. Last year, the entertainment staff went on a three-day strike over Halloween weekend.

The trial will begin on Monday, December 7, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. MT, in a hearing room at the Byron Rogers Federal Office Building (1961 Stout Street, Suite 13-103, Denver, Colorado).