The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) is a powerful North American labor union representing over 168,000 technicians, artisans, and craftspersons across the entertainment industry in the United States, its territories, and Canada. Founded in 1893 by stagehands in New York to establish fair wages and working conditions, IATSE expanded rapidly, welcoming Canadian locals and officially adopting "International" into its name by 1902.
The union has successfully adapted to technological innovation and the growth of new entertainment media, from live theatre to motion picture and television production, leading to remarkable membership growth despite general declines in private sector unionization. IATSE represents virtually all behind-the-scenes workers and notably established the "yellow card system" in 1912 to ensure union crews for traveling productions. For its vital contributions to theatre, IATSE was awarded the Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre in 1993.