San Francisco Alamo Drafthouse workers unionize

Workers at the Alamo Drafthouse New Mission movie theater recently announced their intent to unionize.

State of play: A group of bartenders, servers and other Alamo Drafthouse staffers are pushing for the company to address workplace safety issues and to require management to go through harassment training, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

• Flashback: Workers at the company's Austin flagship unionized last February with the Industrial Workers of the World.

Driving the news: The union decided to go public with its organizing efforts to pressure the company and "to recruit and spread the message quicker," Kiyah Nicole, an Alamo Drafthouse employee and union member, told the Chronicle.

• Workers pointed to concerns of sexual harassment and workplace safety as reasons for unionizing.

The big picture: Americans' approval of unions is at its highest since 1965, with 71% saying they're in favor, according to Gallup.

• Meanwhile, workers at corporate giants Amazon and Starbucks have led successful union campaigns this year, sparking a new labor movement.

What they're saying: "We want people to feel safe in a place that doesn't degrade and disrespect them," Nicole said.

• A spokesperson for Alamo Drafthouse did not comment on the union specifically, but said in a statement that "creating a safe work environment for our teammates is a top priority."

What to watch: Alamo Drafthouse workers in SF are not currently pushing for a contract that would require the company to bargain with them, but plan to do so down the road.