Another possible strike, but this one WILL effect Boadway

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/19/23 at 11:32am

From the Hollywood Repoter

 

No idea how likely this is, but the vote is scheduled for today/tomorrow and could go in effect as soon as Friday.

Updated On: 7/19/23 at 11:32 AM

[RippedMan]

Posted: 7/19/23 at 11:43am

I would expect them to reach a deal. 

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/19/23 at 11:48am

Good to hear, I only know what's there in print.  The article does mention that some things have been settled, but other things still to be worked out.

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 7/19/23 at 11:57am

A strike authorization is a first step and it's essentially sending a message that you mean business. It doesn't mean a strike is happening yet. Unlike Hollywood where key aspects of the business, especially releases, can move forward during strikes, Broadway would probably shut down if any department is striking and, unlike Hollywood which can also just push back releases, that would probably decimate it. 

[trpguyy]

Posted: 7/19/23 at 1:08pm

Correct. Broadway and all League tours (which is most tours) would shut down. The lost revenue, not to mention the costs and logistics of getting tours back up and going after a strike, would likely be way more expensive than meeting all of IATSE’s demands. The League simply cannot afford a strike. 

[JSquared2]

Posted: 7/19/23 at 1:32pm

The big difference this time is that during the last IATSE strike (19 days is 2007, when Broadway was shut down) many of the stagehands took jobs working on TV and film projects -- which is not an option this time around.

[MarilynMonroeSmash]

Posted: 7/19/23 at 1:32pm

Would Off-Broadway shows then continue if there were to be a strike?

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 7/19/23 at 2:02pm

Hope they can avoid a work stoppage. Actors’ Equity was in this same boat a few months ago (regarding touring contracts) before an eleventh-hour deal was reached. 

[kingjames2]

Posted: 7/19/23 at 2:06pm

MarilynMonroeSmash said: "Would Off-Broadway shows then continue if there were to be a strike?"

Yes, off-Broadway would be unaffected. This is strike would only affect shows produced by the Broadway League/Disney in either New York City or on the road (ie: all Equity tours).

Fingers crossed the League comes to their senses (and back to the table).

[Luminaire2]

Posted: 7/19/23 at 2:26pm

Fingers crossed for a speedy resolution. Give them a fair deal Broadway league! 
 

(and selfishly, please make it happen asap, as I have a show next week). 

[PabloJuan]

Posted: 7/19/23 at 3:33pm

Is it possible that they settle a new contract with the Broadway league and not with Disney or vice versa? Has that ever happened? If they settled with the Broadway league, but not with Disney, would that mean that only certain Broadway shows would be shut down?

[perfectpenguin]

Posted: 7/19/23 at 3:48pm

Luminaire2 said: "Fingers crossed for a speedy resolution. Give them a fair deal Broadway league!


(and selfishly, please make it happen asap, as I have a show next week)."

Selfishly too since I have a show Saturday!

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 7/19/23 at 4:05pm

As of right now, Broadway has not experienced a strike of more than 25 days in its history (the 1975 musicians’ strike). 

Should the WGA and SAG-AFTRA walkouts provide any hints on how long this could last?

[Kad]

Posted: 7/19/23 at 4:13pm

EDSOSLO858 said: "As of right now, Broadway has not experienced a strike of more than 25 days in its history (the 1975 musicians’ strike).

Should the WGA and SAG-AFTRA walkouts provide any hints on how long this could last?"

Different situation entirely. Studios have a substantial  cushion in the form of a lot more money, content already shot, and the ability to create work that does not require the jurisdiction of WGA or SAG (ie reality programming).  They can absorb a lot more loss before feeling pain.
 

Broadway on the other hand has no ability for a backup plan if any of its unions strike, but particularly IATSE, whose members operate theaters regardless of the union jurisdiction of what’s playing in them. Any work stoppage will result in immediate and tangible financial loss.

Updated On: 7/19/23 at 04:13 PM

[Mr. Wormwood]

Posted: 7/19/23 at 4:33pm

I have a really hard time believing that a strike will happen. As mentioned, the Broadway League and Broadway producers have a whole lot more to lose immediately, especially in the summer, than the studios involved in the WGA/SAG-AFTRA strikes. They cannot afford to not be running Broadway shows. I think this news was a potential wake-up call but I still think a deal will be reached.

[PabloJuan]

Posted: 7/19/23 at 5:10pm

These are the only theaters that are not part of the Broadway League or Disney Theatricals and are not affected by the potential strike:

American Airlines Theatre - EMPTY

Circle in the Square Theatre - EMPTY

Helen Hayes Theater - the cottage

Hudson Theatre - Just for us

Lyric Theatre - Harry Potter

Samuel J. Friedman Theatre - EMPTY

Stephen Sondheim Theatre - & Juliet

Studio 54 - EMPTY

Vivian Beaumont Theater - Camelot - Closing July 23

If IATSE goes on strike, all other shows would be shut down on Broadway. 

[perfectpenguin]

Posted: 7/19/23 at 5:11pm

Question answered. See post above! ^^^

Updated On: 7/19/23 at 05:11 PM

[kingjames2]

Posted: 7/19/23 at 5:15pm

PabloJuan said: "Is it possible that they settle a new contract with the Broadway league and not with Disney or vice versa? Has that ever happened? If they settled with the Broadway league, but not with Disney, would that mean that only certain Broadway shows would be shut down?"

In this particular instance, no. It's been a minute since my labor law class, but I believe that if an employer wants to leave a multiemployer bargaining unit (like Disney splitting off on their own) they must do it BEFORE bargaining begins. You can't leave to bargain your own contract in the middle of negotiations.

Regardless, only the shows of the struck employer would be affected. In this case, it would apply to league and Disney shows, but anything at Circle in the Square (which has its own contract) or the nonprofit LORT theaters (like Lincoln Center/Roundabout/MTC/2ndStage produced shows) would remain open.

[kingjames2]

Posted: 7/19/23 at 5:20pm

perfectpenguin said: "Playbill reports 28 of 30 shows will be affected. What are the 2 shows that aren’t?"

Camelot for sure - LCT is not a league member.

Possibly Playbill thinks that The Cottage, because it's in the Hayes, is being produced by SecondStage? But that's a commercial rental. I honestly don't know what the other show is - everything else playing right now seems at first glance to be a League or Disney show.

[kingjames2]

Posted: 7/19/23 at 5:29pm

PabloJuan said: "These are the only theaters that are not part of the Broadway League or Disney Theatricals and are not affected by the potential strike:

American Airlines Theatre - EMPTY

Circle in the Square Theatre - EMPTY

Helen Hayes Theater - the cottage

Hudson Theatre - Just for us

Lyric Theatre - Harry Potter

Samuel J. Friedman Theatre - EMPTY

Stephen Sondheim Theatre - & Juliet

Studio 54 - EMPTY

Vivian Beaumont Theater - Camelot - Closing July 23

If IATSE goes on strike, all other shows would be shut down on Broadway."

I don't think this is quite accurate. The Cottage is a commercial rental, so the League contract applies. Same for &Juliet. Potter is definitely league produced, as is Just for Us.

ETA: And now that I'm thinking about it, Disney doesn't employ anyone on a pink contract on Broadway; only on tour. It's possible that Broadway Lion King and Aladdin would go on as well. 
 

Updated On: 7/19/23 at 05:29 PM

[Kad]

Posted: 7/19/23 at 6:46pm

Yes, that’s correct- the nonprofits on Broadway operate under LORT terms for their own productions during their initial runs, but commercial rentals are not theirs and thus operate under the same contracts as everyone else. 

[Luminaire2]

Posted: 7/19/23 at 7:24pm

kingjames2 said: "PabloJuan said: "These are the only theaters that are not part of the Broadway League or Disney Theatricals and are not affected by the potential strike:

American Airlines Theatre - EMPTY

Circle in the Square Theatre - EMPTY

Helen Hayes Theater - the cottage

Hudson Theatre - Just for us

Lyric Theatre - Harry Potter

Samuel J. Friedman Theatre - EMPTY

Stephen Sondheim Theatre - & Juliet

Studio 54 - EMPTY

Vivian Beaumont Theater - Camelot - Closing July 23

If IATSE goes on strike, all other shows would be shut down on Broadway."

I don't think this is quite accurate. The Cottage is a commercial rental, so the League contract applies. Same for &Juliet. Potter is definitely league produced, as is Just for Us.

ETA: And now that I'm thinking about it, Disney doesn't employ anyone on a pink contract on Broadway; only on tour. It's possible that Broadway Lion King and Aladdin would go on as well.
"


so this could impact the Disney tours next week, if a strike is called.  

[HogansHero]

Posted: 7/19/23 at 8:11pm

PabloJuan said: "Is it possible that they settle a new contract with the Broadway league and not with Disney or vice versa? Has that ever happened? If they settled with the Broadway league, but not with Disney, would that mean that only certain Broadway shows would be shut down?"

This is one I can answer! By agreement, the League is negotiating for Disney. 

Another thing worth noting (although my recollection may be off and hopefully someone can confirm since it's been a while) is that, because the strike vote relates only to the pink contract (covering show only labor hired by producers) and not to the house stage hands who are employed by the theatre owner, a rental in a non-signatory house still binds the producer to the league contract. Likewise, an owner producing in an unowned venue is still just a producer. This  considerably shrinks the list that has been posted. 

 

 

[PabloJuan]

Posted: 7/19/23 at 8:39pm

Someone on Reddit listed this link to IATSE and stated that it only included pink contract Broadway shows. It is obviously out of date as it lists Bad Cinderella. It does not list Aladdin or Camelot. Could this be a clue to which shows would shut down and which would not?

https://iatse.net/yellow-cards/broadway-shows/

 

[perfectpenguin]

Posted: 7/19/23 at 8:46pm

PabloJuan said: "Someone on Reddit listed this link to IATSE and stated that it only included pink contract Broadway shows. It is obviously out of date as it lists Bad Cinderella. It does not list Aladdin or Camelot. Could this be a clue to which shows would shut down and which would not?

https://iatse.net/yellow-cards/broadway-shows/

"

I don’t have an answer to your question but I had the same question. I went through that list quickly so I might have missed something. The shows not listed are: 

Aladdin

The Book of Mormon

The Cottage

Just for Us

Camelot