Institute for Research on Labor and Employment

Universal Studios Hollywood, known as the “Entertainment Capital of L.A.,” attracts millions of visitors each year with its promise to bring movies to life. Yet behind the scenes, the park’s success depends on more than 6,000 workers, including bartenders, cooks, servers, ride operators, retail staff, parking attendants, and others,  whose labor sustains its daily operations but who often face difficult working and living conditions. This report, developed in collaboration with UNITE HERE Local 11 and IATSE B192, draws on surveys from 1,330 and 19 in-depth interviews with Universal Studios workers, as well as company data. Together, these findings reveal the challenges faced by the workers who make the park’s “magical experiences” possible and underscore the urgent need for improved labor standards and economic stability within one of Los Angeles’s most prominent entertainment institutions.