Several hundred Oregon members of IATSE Local 488 were already facing a scarcity of work. COVID-19 made matters worse, shutting down projects statewide by mid-March.
Theater and concert workers often spend time at great heights — hoisting gear at rock concerts or setting up and operating truss-mounted spotlights. Their union is working to improve members’ readiness to quickly rescue a coworker in the event of an accident.
