July 21, 2025 – On Tuesday afternoon, the staff of DYNO Detroit gathered together to tell the climbing gym’s owner that they intend to form a union: DYNO Detroit Climbing Workers United, affiliated with the Chicago and Midwest Regional Joint Board of Workers United. After management denied their request for voluntary recognition, workers filed for union election with the National Labor Relations Board on Friday July 18th.
As the only climbing gym in the city of Detroit, DYNO workers are at the heart of the local climbing community. Their work does not go unnoticed: after the union’s announcement, emails streamed in from gym members showing appreciation for staff and urging the owner to voluntarily recognize their union.
Workers are unionizing for better workplace conditions and to have a seat at the table. Customer Experience worker Evan Lavery says he is unionizing “because climbing workers deserve a more democratic workplace!”
In their letter to management, which was signed by a majority of employees, workers expressed their “deep care for and commitment to the attributes that make DYNO Detroit a cherished place.” Dani Cramer, a Customer Experience worker elaborates:
“We are making this effort to have a voice at the decision-making table that affects every aspect of this beloved space. Unionizing is the best way to ensure that we can sustainably advocate for the rights of our peers and vouch for the community that makes this gym the cherished space it is.”
DYNO workers are the first Michigan climbing gym to join Climbing Workers United, a movement of 17 unionized climbing gyms across the country affiliated with Workers United. The Joint Board’s President, Kathy Hanshew, says
“The Chicago & Midwest Regional Joint Board is proud to represent DYNO Detroit as the first organized climbing gym in Michigan. These workers are skilled professionals and pillars of the Detroit climbing community. They follow in the footsteps of the city’s rich labor history and join many Workers United members across the state.”
The Climbing Workers United campaign is growing every month; just last month, workers at Movement’s Harlem location and MetroRock’s Bushwick location in New York City overwhelmingly won their union elections.
CBJ press releases are written by the sponsor and do not represent the views of the Climbing Business Journal editorial team.
