The use of tour guides’ images in marketing has become a point of contention as Winchester Mystery House workers seek their first union contract. Union officials told NBC Bay Area that management approached guides directly about signing image-and-likeness waivers instead of taking the issue to the bargaining table.
The guides walked off the job in San Jose for one day on Saturday, calling the action an unfair labor practice strike. They organized with Teamsters Local 856 in 2025, according to the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. NBC Bay Area reports that negotiations have continued for more than a year.
Contract talks and working conditions
Wages, health care and longevity benefits remain among the unresolved contract issues, workers say. They also cite the rising cost of living as a source of pressure, according to NBC Bay Area. Tour guide J. Jaramillo, who has worked at the mansion for more than five years, said workers sought union representation to strengthen their ability to press for better pay, working conditions and good-faith bargaining.
Guides are also seeking limits on the number of people in each tour group, citing safety for visitors and staff. Workers raised concerns about ventilation, crowded rooms and stairs along tour routes. The mansion covers 24,000 square feet and has 160 rooms and 47 stairways, according to NBC Bay Area.
Union plans to continue bargaining
Veronica Diaz, the Teamsters Local 856 Central Coast division director and lead negotiator, said the guides were united and intended to keep pursuing a strong first contract, NBC Bay Area reported.
What the strike designation means
The National Labor Relations Board describes unfair labor practice strikers as employees who stop work to protest an employer’s unfair labor practice. The board says they cannot be discharged or permanently replaced. It also says employers must bargain in good faith with workers’ representatives and sign any collective bargaining agreement reached.
