The iconic 2300 Arena in Philadelphia—forever known to fans as the ECW Arena—is facing a new kind of heat, and this time it’s not from a wrestling angle.
Picketing has now entered its second week outside the venue, as members of the IATSE Local 8 stagehand union continue their fight for fair wages during AEW’s ongoing residency. The union is targeting the arena’s management for allegedly paying below the standard rate of $54.40 an hour, which includes benefits like welfare contributions, pensions, and training.
The protests started quietly before AEW and ROH shows, but have since expanded to include Labor Day demonstrations and a giant inflatable rat—nicknamed “Roger”—parked outside the building. The rat is a not-so-subtle dig at Roger Artigiani, CEO of the 2300 Arena to POST Wrestling.
“While the dispute is largely between us and the 2300 Arena, we do find it unfortunate that AEW chose for this run to go to a non-union venue,” said IATSE Local 8’s Phil Effinger. “We’ve had a long, fruitful relationship with AEW… and we really enjoy working with them.”
Despite the union’s discontent, AEW has stayed neutral in public, issuing a brief statement last week: “Any current demonstrations being held are between 2300 Arena and IATSE Local 8.” Tony Khan declined to comment during a recent media call.
Though Artigiani has insisted that stagehands are being paid fairly, IATSE 8 claims it only received confirmation after speaking directly with one of the workers—believing the payment only began after pressure was applied. Effinger said, “Our hope is that we can sign a contract that covers the work beyond AEW… because once AEW leaves, our fear is that Roger will just go back to paying substandard wages.”
The dispute isn’t just about pay—it’s about classification. Effinger noted the union is also investigating whether some workers are being misclassified as independent contractors. Still, he made clear the union has no intention of replacing existing workers.
“What we’re looking for is a contract that covers the workers that are already there and the work that they do,” he said. “We don’t want to replace anyone.”
While AEW’s residency at the venue has drawn national attention, Artigiani doesn’t expect the company to come back anytime soon. “I’d be very surprised if they do,” he said, citing space issues and the size of AEW’s production.
As for what’s next? IATSE has no plans to slow down. Effinger confirmed that more protests are likely during the remaining shows of AEW’s run through September 11. He added, “We’re not interested in disrupting any of those smaller events. But when an organization comes into town and plans on doing… a nationwide broadcast… enough is enough.”
Should AEW continue working with non-union venues like the 2300 Arena? Or is it time for promotions to step in and demand union-standard pay for all workers? Drop your thoughts below and let us know where you stand.
September 3, 2025 7:32 pm
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