The New Work Rules In Dispute In The Strike Talks

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 10/23/07 at 3:06pm

"Following the Oct. 21 announcement that Local One, the Broadway stagehands union, had authorized its leaders to implement a strike should one be necessary, the League of American Theatres and Producers issued an 11-page document outlining the terms of their proposed contract, portions of which they began implementing Oct. 22.

The union, in an Oct. 21 press statement, said its members will continue to work should the producers start implementing the new rules. However, come holiday time, that will change. James J. Claffey, Jr., the president of the union, told his members, "No work in December without a deal."

The Union, which has been working without a contract since July 31, and the League have been unable to come to agreement on points of flexibility within designated work assignments, as well as in the reduction of labor and cost for the load-in process of scenery for a new production.

The new rules that the League has begun enforcing follow.

Setting the Running Crew
Stagehand crew size and job assignments were previously frozen on the opening night of a Broadway show. The League claims this does not allow enough time to "routine stagehand work and determine appropriate staffing levels." The crew size and job assignments will now be frozen six weeks after opening night. (The Union rejected this proposal.)

Electrician Duties
In some instances up to three electricians have operated the board that controls light, projection and sound cues — a job that can be handled by one electrician. The new rule says that "three separate stagehands are not required" to operate such a board. (Local One tentatively agreed to codify this practice.)

Premium Pay for a 7th Day or 9th Performance
Stagehands who work a 7th day or a 9th performance (for example, a Monday performance for a show that regularly plays a Tuesday-Sunday schedule) are paid time-and-a-half. Previously, even those stagehands who had not worked all six days or eight performances were paid time-and-a-half for this extra performance. The League and the Union agreed to a proposed exchange whereby the League would not be required to pay time-and-a-half to those who had not worked the full week; however, the League agreed to pay time-and-a-half for all work "performed on any non-performance day where a production performs only five days per week (Wednesday through Saturday)."

Overtime Hiring Requirements
Previously, if only a few stagehands were required to work overtime, Broadway producers were required to pay overtime to all of the stagehands that had been called that day. Producers will now pay overtime only to the stagehands required to work past a given call period. (The Union rejected this proposal.)

Meal Periods
Meal periods, the previous contract stated, must take place on the hour at 12-1 PM or 1-2 PM, and for evenings at 5-6 PM or 6-7 PM. During many load-in and technical rehearsal days, management was left a choice between "stopping and restarting work for an entire department on the hour or paying everyone a penalty of a time-and-a-half hour." The League will now implement meal time flexibility as long as a break is given within 3 to 5 hours of a stagehand's start time. The new rule would also allow a 30-minute break if a meal is provided for the crew. (Local One has rejected this offer.)

Rehearsals and Work Calls
Currently stagehands called in for a four-hour minimum call can only perform work specific to that type of call. For example, a crew member called in for a rehearsal call cannot be required to do maintenance work — fixing lights or maintaining scenery. Such work would require an additional work call. The League states that they will now require that stagehands perform any work necessary, within departmental lines, on a production while they are being paid, regardless of the type of call. (Local One has rejected this offer.)

Performance Calls
During the performance of a show, there are strict rules regarding what can be required of a crew member. The Union has agreed to allow "work on equipment and related items for promotion and publicity." The League also proposed that stagehands should be permitted to clean up the set, the show's equipment and repair any problems that occurred during the performance. Should the work require more time than the actual running time of the show, crew members would be paid in one-hour increments. Local One agreed to a two-hour minimum call solely to permit clean up for safety reasons.

Continuity Calls
In the previous Local One contract, stagehands may be called one hour prior to a performance (solely for work related to that performance), or for one hour after the performance, but never both, unless producers schedule an additional four-hour call. Producers now intend to schedule and pay for work up to three hours around any given performance, limited to two hours prior and one hour after. This does not include clean up, which may require two hours. The previous union contract also said that if a show ending at 10:25 PM necessitates additional work, the call-time rolls back to 10 PM, requiring producers to pay for an additional hour's work. And, if more time is needed, the call becomes a four-hour call. The League has eliminated this rule, which Local One rejected.

Canceled Performances
Currently, when a scheduled performance of a show is canceled and replaced by a rehearsal or a work call, stagehands are required to be paid for both the canceled performance and the rehearsal/work call. The League will now not pay stagehands twice for the same hours. (The Union has rejected this proposal.)"


http://www.playbill.com/news/article/112142.html

[frogs_fan85]

Posted: 10/23/07 at 3:55pm

Finally something comprehensive so that we can understand what the exact issues are.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 10/23/07 at 4:15pm

That's exactly why I posted it. I was tired of all the accusations flying back and forth about which side was being unreasonable. At least now we can see for ourselves -- and form our own opinions -- about the issues at stake here.

[Dolly_Levi]

Posted: 10/23/07 at 4:46pm

Glad to see what (at least some of) the issues are.

Looking forward to many thoughtful responses here.

[Fosse76]

Posted: 10/23/07 at 4:55pm

I wouldn't exactly call those the unbiased issues. Those look like the bullet points that were issued by the Shuberts to their house staff detailing why they are right and the uniion is wrong.

[localonecrew]

Posted: 10/23/07 at 11:08pm

these are just some of the rules that they are enforcing. not even close to all of the stuff that they are demanding.

the whole rule implementation thing is just an attempt to get us to strike on their timetable. we wont be fooled. kiss the holidays goodbye kids.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 10/23/07 at 11:30pm

Backstage, we get current updates from both sides and each are obviously biased.
What was left out of Margo's post are the raisies being offered to compansate for the Job pullbacks.
Local One wants $65 an hour for House Heads.
Amyone here without a College Degree make that much?
Just asking...
And at $50 an hour could you mop a stage in less than 4 hours?
Both sides have points, but a strike or lockout is not the answer.

[Tkt2Ride]

Posted: 10/24/07 at 12:58am

I'm afraid I don't see how a strike is to be avoided. The League is forcing workers to accept new rules. Here we are too again, with the lame examples. If you have workers who are lazy, whose fault is that? They hired them. They can fire them. I know it's a process but I get so tired of excuses for keeping poor performing employees.

My ex got fired only a couple of months of being fully vested in his Company. Five yrs he put into the job. So please, lets not start again with the worthless examples.

Once a show is in Previews, it seems reasonable that a crew be set. It seems pretty obvious to me they want to use this advantage to cut costs by cutting back on stage crew first. Is that fair? Sure a show may flop in Previews or require a huge overhaul. That though should be obvious in out of town Previews. I see it all of the time here, people say a show is weak but still they bring it to Broadway and hope they can fix it while paying huge rental fees. If they want to really cut back, wouldn't you say Management should be the first place to start? They are the highest paid staff.

When you cut back on staff, you cut back on safety. Maybe more consideration needs to be put into the start up of a Production? This will save costs. I do agree, if they don't need a certain position for their type of show, they shouldn't be required to hire someone to do that sort of work. Though, when a show isn't doing well, do they start replacing high paid Actors for lesser known ones? Sometimes but rarely do they re-write the whole script to eliminate key roles to save some money now do they?

I am a little dismayed at having only one guy do lights, sound and projection. If something goes wrong then who is going to fix the problem and keep those functions operating smoothly?

As for comparing a trained Technician to someone with a College Degree? Please, it isn't that hard to get a Degree. Try wiring a whole building. You have to go through a series of training, which does require both testing and work experience to be qualified by the Union. Half of you people can't even program your DVD players or won't trouble yourself to do so. If they screw-up, you can get fried or someone can get killed. There are so many different mechanical systems out there, some antiquated to the extreme, that must be learned how to operate and maintain. Everyone, to preserve their patents, love to think of some complicated or some may say idiotic construction just to complicate matters.

If it was so easy to be a Engineer, everyone would be doing it! It is very hard and mind numbing work, when things go wrong or you have a new system to set up and run. It is boring as hell when nothing does go wrong but you have to be available just in case it does. Don't you think, most techs rather be somewhere making even more money than sitting around waiting for the next cue or mechanical failure? Some, maybe but most rather double up their salary, if only they could. If you want stability, you take a salary job and put up with the inconvenience.

How many Management positions require you to just stand around and watch people half of the time? When things run smoothly, everyone gets to relax but when they don't, that is when you really earn your pay. Unfortunately sometimes a College Degree is misleading. Most of my College classes were a walk in the Park. Rarely did I have to study more than a couple of hours. It depends on the subject but even with a Degree, I can't re-wire a sound board. So again, must we let ignorance guide this conversation over whose work is more valuable?

As for Load-ins. You want to carry and assemble those huge sets? Can you even do the work yourself? If the Management could do the work, then trust me, Producers wouldn't hire someone else to do it for them. Some people just don't like to get dirty. For those who will for the money, they deserve to get paid well. Especially considering the chances of disabling accidents. The higher the potential danger involved in the work, the more money you should get paid. They must go from job to job, so that has to be difficult. Not the same as working in your average Office job where employment is steady and the hours are reasonable.

I'd say the biggest problem right now on Broadway is the lack of space for a show. Because of this, it keeps the rents high and the risk is mighty. Investors are lazy and they deserve to pay for their lack of investigation into what they are putting their money into. They come in though knowing the risk so Producers need to do more homework too. They know what it takes to make a show work. If they take too many shortcuts to just get their creations on Broadway, they are screwing the investors. The investors need to be realistic about what it takes to ensure they won't get sued. The showbiz people depend on the Producer to represent them in the best of lights with a real picture of what it takes to make a show work.

I think that $65 an hour, in New York for a highly trained Engineer, is just about right. Some make considerably more. Besides that amt. is probably negotiable. The League, under the new provisions are eliminating jobs. Not a wage freeze or salary cutbacks. They are essentially adding onto their employees workload by doubling it up some. So wouldn't those who have twice as much to do, deserve a decent wage to do the job of two or maybe three other people? The Union Reps. have clearly stated, they are still willing to compromise. It is the League that is getting fed up with waiting. Impatience though will bring about a very high penalty.



Let's at least agree that it is the League, not the Local One that is refusing to sit down and talk.

[MaronaDavies]

Posted: 10/24/07 at 1:12am

Not to mention that it's wrong to assume that stagehands don't have college degrees. A lot of them do; some specifically in stagecraft. Many colleges, including SUNY Purchase and Marymount Manhattan, offer Theatre Design/Technical Production majors, and some of those kids do end up working as stagehands.

[rgaywrites]

Posted: 10/24/07 at 1:24am

This is such a tough issue and both sides have valid arguments and less than valid arguments. I do know this though... there's something really wrong when we start to talk about $50- $65 an hour like its not a lot of money, for anyone, regardless of education. In two or three years, I'll have a Ph.D. and it will be many years if ever I make that kind of money. I think a little perspective might be needed. We're not talking about people making minimum wage or less, working in sweatshops. And yes, sets are large and complicated and the work of stagehands is challenging and invaluable. I work, from time to time, as a technical director. I absolutely get it. At some point, however, both sides are going to have to compromise. There's no getting away from that.

[Dolly_Levi]

Posted: 10/24/07 at 10:01am

Frankly, the idea of people getting paid to do nothing baffles me. I can see why the League would want to eliminate that policy.

[roadmixer]

Posted: 10/24/07 at 10:31am

Dolly - The 'rules' stipulated in the collective agreement between stagehands and the league are not established as a means to encourage people getting paid to do nothing. These clauses are the result of years and years of give and take on both sides and are being taken way out of context in all of the rhetoric. The whole concept of penalizing employers for things like overtime and days off is to encourage them NOT to employ us on those days. We don't want to work on our day off. Yes... we would like for meals to be scheduled at mealtime. Would you like to come to work at 8am and told to take "lunch" at 11am, "dinner" at 2pm and then a second "dinner" at 7pm? That would be possible under management's new order.

It is unfortunate that producers feel it necessary to fight this fight in the court of public opinion. I can't recall seeing published lists of contract clauses for the automotive workers making it into the news! Of course it is very easy to take things out of context to make the union look bad.

Curtain - Please stop being insulting. I am university educated and a stagehand. There are plenty of us I can assure you. As for taking 4 hours to mop the stage, that comment shows either that you are buying into the rhetoric or that you have no knowledge o how this business works. To give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that you don't understand the business... references to 'minimum 4 hour calls' are referring to clauses in the contract which have been negotiated to prevent employers from being able to call people into work and paying them for an hour or two and then sending them away. Pretty reasonable actually. Typically this structure ensures that employees are not asked to commute in to work making too little to pay for that commute AND that management will have 4 hours of work planned for them to do. Management is not in the habit of planning the work day so poorly that people are paid for 4 hours and sit around for 3 and half and employees don't expect to be paid for not working. Period.

[roadmixer]

Posted: 10/24/07 at 9:41pm

Since this may be ignored by Playbill and others printing the Producer's viewpoints...


Local 1 open letter to fellow unions

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 10/24/07 at 9:44pm

Many (The majority does) city workers along with transit workers get paid for doing nothing. It is not a new concept.

Your tax dollars hard at work.

[Lynnespock2]

Posted: 10/24/07 at 10:27pm

The majority? And you know this, HOW? Your generalizations are insulting to many people who work for the city and work hard for their money.

[JustAGuy]

Posted: 10/24/07 at 11:20pm

"Many (The majority does) city workers along with transit workers get paid for doing nothing. It is not a new concept.

Your tax dollars hard at work."

And this is apropos of what? Since your tax dollars are not at all involved in paying for any of Local One's salaries.

Do you have figures Roxy to back up "the majority does" or any evidence at all to back up that statement, or are you once again talking out your a**?

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 10/24/07 at 11:28pm

Well The four hour call to mop the stage is a reality, since this is considered a different call they have to pay that minimum for that job.
I don't mean to insukt anyoune and I may not be an expert in the Money workings of each show I have been working on Broadway over 20 years and I see what workers do.
As I said each side has it's points and it's spin.
As far as people getting College Degrees and then getting Local One jobs, that will happen to very few, You pretty much have to be born into that Union.
Yes, some of the technicians are experts in their fields but the majority are workers like you and I.
I belong to a Union, I believe in Unions but BOTH sides are being stubborn and need to negotiate and not threaten, it gets you nowhere.

[bugmenot]

Posted: 10/24/07 at 11:43pm

It is not a 4 hour call to mop a stage. It's nice inflammatory rhetoric, but it's not reality.

[roadmixer]

Posted: 10/24/07 at 11:49pm

Curtain - I don't know for who you work or where you work but I too have been in the business for many years... 25 to be exact. The mop call is not and has not ever been a 4 hour minimum under normal circumstances when done prior to a show. If you are not a stagehand then you don't really know what we do. You are merely observing and jumping to conclusions. Local 1 has not been spinning anything. They have been honest with their statements and have not been releasing sound bites in the media like the other side. Nepotism, while regrettable exists in EVERY industry. How many of us know people in management, sales, engineering, clerical etc. who have gotten a job based on a connection to someone already working for the employer. More than you know. It is very possible however for someone to get membership in the union if they are willing to work toward that goal regardless of genetics. Local 1 has done nothing but offer to talk and yet, if you know the facts, the league has started this process (3 years ago actually when they started their 'war chest') with threats and ultimatums.

I agree that the whole object of collective bargaining is to negotiate. I agree that both sides need to give. Sadly, this is not happening.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 10/24/07 at 11:57pm

"And this is apropos of what? Since your tax dollars are not at all involved in paying for any of Local One's salaries."

While tax dollars don't pay salaries, labor unions are considered nonprofit organizations, so it could be said that taxpayers have to carry the tax burden for these organizations.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 10/25/07 at 12:14am

Roadmixer I appreciate your views but saying that Local One is not spinning is out of line.
One of the statements they have put out says that they are the first and last to leave the Theatre everynight.
If i had a nickel for every stage hand I have seen run out of the Theatre after their last cue I'd be rich.
Amd I am not saying they don't have good points but BOTH sides are definitely spinning.
And I have read and understand the mopping and moving the piano for rehearsal sections of the contract.
Fell free to enlighten me where I am wrong, I do want to understand it better.

[JustAGuy]

Posted: 10/25/07 at 12:15am

"While tax dollars don't pay salaries, labor unions are considered nonprofit organizations, so it could be said that taxpayers have to carry the tax burden for these organizations."

Which would include the members of Local One.

[Neverandy]

Posted: 10/25/07 at 12:49am

God this is interesting!
I only wish Equity were as strong as IATSE!
As a an Equity member, a keen observer of the real operation of a show, and a rational human being, I support Local 1.
The League is really trying to engender the sympahthy of the public by throwing out terms like "Feather bedding".
Also, The league has forced Local 1's hand. With the rules implemented, they have avoided a lock-out, and as a result prevented themselves from being easily portrayed as the bad guys . Unfortunately, the next move is for the union to strike, which will turn a good amount of the public against them. The league can say that Local 1 "Shut down Broadway".

[craftymarley]

Posted: 10/25/07 at 1:39am

curtainpulldowner- didn't you say in another thread that you were an usher at The Color Purple?

[bugmenot]

Posted: 10/25/07 at 6:51am

> Unfortunately, the next move is for the union to strike

the next move is for the Producers to return to the bargaining table and bargain in good faith. It shouldn't take a strike to make that happen, it should take certain people on their side coming to their senses.