The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) kept their word.
As we reported earlier today, Local 8 members of the IATSE made their intentions of protesting the AEW at 2300 Arena multi-week residency that kicked off tonight, August 27, 2025, with the live post-AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door: London episode of AEW Dynamite.
And that’s exactly what they did.
During the early moments of the 8/27 installment of the weekly two-hour AEW on TBS and HBO Max live prime time Wednesday night program, video footage and various photos of the IATSE protests taking place outside of 2300 Arena began making the rounds on social media.
Local 8 Members of the IATSE are protesting the seven AEW and ROH Wrestling events scheduled to be hosted in the legendary Philadelphia-based 2300 Arena venue across the next three weeks (August 27 – September 11) due to claims that “the shows are failing to meet area standards by paying substandard wages and benefits.”
“This week, IATSE Local 8 members are out in force to inform the public that All Elite Wrestling (AEW) events in Philadelphia are failing to meet area standards by paying substandard wages and benefits,” a statement released by IATSE Local 8 began. “When employers undercut these standards it threatens wages, benefits, and job opportunities for all entertainment workers in the community. We stand in solidarity with our Local 8 kin as they hold employers accountable and fight to protect the fair standards that entertainment workers deserve!”
A source indicated that the issue is not directly between AEW and the union, but rather with the venue itself, which has traditionally been a non-union building.
Ironically, IATSE Local 8’s headquarters sits across the street from the 2300 Arena, which was established decades before the union HQ moved into the neighborhood.
The belief is that the union is using AEW’s high-profile broadcasts from the historic venue to draw attention and apply pressure on the 2300 Arena to adopt union labor practices.
“Tonight will be the first time that I’ve set foot in the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia in over 29 years, since I was 13 years old in August 1996,” AEW President Tony Khan wrote via X this morning. “I’m excited to go back there for Wednesday Night AEW Dynamite at 8pm ET/7pm CT TONIGHT!”
For those interested, check out our complete AEW Dynamite Results 8/27/25 here at WrestlingHeadlines.com.
If you are attending any of the @AEW shows at 2300 Arena in South Philly this is what you will see out front some of the picketing from @IATSE #AEWCollision #AEWDynamite pic.twitter.com/typvBRQwJp
— David Malandra Jr (@DaveMReports) August 27, 2025
