BROADWAY CANCELLED THROUGH 25 NOVEMBER- Page 5

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 6:35am

And you folks are actually surprised by this development?

[jordangirl]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 6:40am

allofmylife, I agree with you. The WGA strike makes sense, and I totally support y'all.

This one? Let's just say walking by loading theatres, I've seen more people standing around watching and doing nothing than I've ever seen on a road crew in the South. And I thought they had a lot of "supervisors" who got paid to stand and do nothing. I really don't have sympathy for either side. It's the innocent people affected by it ~ those who are involved in shows and aren't producers or stagehands.

BTW ~ according to the news, the Times is reporting that there could be a separate agreement to do a limited opening of the Grinch for this week. ( http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/19/theater/19broadway.html?_r=1&oref=slogin )

[UnionMade]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 6:41am

Dan,
First off, I am a NY stagehand. So, obviously my info may be biased. The easiest way to answer your questions is to direct you through several links of articles about the strike.
Start here: https://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=23020
And then follow the link within that article or use this one that takes you to the same place: https://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/14/arts/14broadway.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
And finally: https://www.actorsequity.org/Members/WordPDF/localone_myth_fact.pdf
This should get you caught up quickly. All these sources are not from the union so you can judge for yourself.

To all,
The League is not negotiating. Both sides started negotiations with their ideas of a new contract. Local ONE has conceded on many points trying to come to the middle. The producers have not budged. Instead of negotiating they imposed work rules on the union. The only option left to Local ONE was to strike or continue working under these work rules(Which we did for 19 days). The union did not strike to piss off the audience. This was the only LEGAL recourse left to the union. The Producers have stated many times during negotiations that they want to increase their profits. They are not losing money and trying to swing a profit. They are completely unwilling to move from their FIRST and FINAL offer. The union cannot give in to these bullying demands. I am very sorry about everyone who is affected by this strike. I personally do not know how I am going to pay my mortgage this month. But I stand by my union and continue to stand on the picket lines until this is resolved.

In Solidarity,
UnionMade

[billynj]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 7:20am

(writen by becky)This is a random thought, but I started thinking about the people that paid scalper prices to shows this holiday weekend who will not be receiving a refund. Ouch.

I also wonder if the scalper sites are continuing to sell tickets to unsuspecting tourists who may not be fully informed, etc.....

my thoughts............
Stubhub is giving full refunds and has stop selling tickets for any of the effected shows. Telecharge.com is selling tickets with a full refund

most people that buy tickets do so with a credit card so they have full protection regadless of what the seller wants to impose.

seems the scalpers have more ethics this time.
Updated On: 11/19/07 at 07:20 AM

[caitiesus1522]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 7:50am

I feel so bad for the ushers and the merchandise sellers right now. I was talking to an usher at Spelling Bee on Saturday and she was telling me how grateful she is to actually have her job since many of her friends are ushers and do not. She has a family and at this holiday season, money si tighter than usual. I cannot imagine how frustrating it must be for those who are out of a job right and are not even involved in any of the talks or anything!

I hope most people who are going to the shows are giving to Broadway Cares. I already got two CDs, but I had to give them more as I walked out of the theater, even though I really cannot afford it. I hope everyone else is giving whatever they can at all the shows they go to.

Kudos to everyone who is giving part of their paychecks to the amazing cause!

[ken8631]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 8:07am

Get back to the table, and GET A MEDIATOR!!!

[Gypsy9]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 8:21am

Re. THE GRINCH, Jordangirl is right. The Stage Hands Union has ordered the picket lines removed at the St. James, so that the show can continue. According to today's NYTimes, the producer has a separate agreement with the stage hands, and the producer hopes to see THE GRINCH up and running Tuesday night.

I hope the mayor applies pressure on the 2 sides to come together to resume talks. This strike affects too many people!

[carymetorent2]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 9:07am

That's really nice about the Grinch. Kind of one positive in a sea of negatives, but it's nice to see.

And while not all actors are vocal about supporting Local One, there are many who have not only vocally supported them, but have walked or are walking the picket line with them, so it's mixed.

[nycdncr]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 9:09am

it's time for Bloomberg to step in, lock the two sides in a room and not let them leave until an agreement is reached. both sides sound like spoiled little rich kids fighting over who's stronger, and dragging along the actors and other theatrical employess like ushers, merch people, etc.

i agree with a lot of the issues on both sides of the fence here, but the one thing i'm disagreeing with is getting paid not to work. i'm an actor, and if i put it in the perspective of what i do, that's like AEA requiring producers to hire an ensemble of 32 when the show only needs 16. that's completely ridiculous and wouldn't fly in that situation, so why does IATSE think they can force the hand of producers to hire more people than are actually needed.

we should wage a letter writing campaign to the mayor of new york urging him to step in. here's his contact info:

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg
City Hall
New York, NY 10007
PHONE 311 (or 212-NEW-YORK outside NYC)

FAX [phone]

E-MAIL:
http://www.nyc.gov/html/mail/html/mayor.html

[leko2]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 10:06am

Does anyone have a link to an official release from either local one or the grinch to verify that their shows will still go on?

And what's the mayor going to do? Unless he's a supreme being that has the power of mind control there's nothing he can do to change anything.

Also I don't think comparing the hiring of 32 ensemble members vs 16 is accurate for this type of argument as it was predetermined that there would be 16 ensemble members when they started casting the show. Clearly if your show is just a bare stage with only masking you shouldn't need to hire 20 carpenters to load it in. But if you have a show that has scenery coming in 10 different trailers that might mean you need more guys. I have no doubt in my mind that you can load in an entire broadway show with six to eight guys. It's just going to take 6 weeks and that's not a luxury producers can afford.

For those of you wondering what stagehands do, I suggest you rent Sing Faster: The Stagehands' Ring Cycle. It's a good documentary about the stagehands from the San Francisco Opera and I feel it might help explain a lot to people on this board that may not understand what stagehands do.

[WaltSummersPI]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 10:13am

I think the Grinch thing is not definite yet, and they're working to make it happen before anything becomes official.

*crosses fingers*

While at this point, I think both sides are definitely at fault, it's going to HAVE to be up to Local One to go back to work. And soon.

[Mealz1042]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 10:18am

fengshuihellnyc: "You are loosing the money to come here" "Its not the producers who should give BCEFA the Money that they are loosing... ITS THE UNION."

You mean as apposed to the Producers who are... tightening it?

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 10:38am

LOL, go Mealz!

LOOSE =/= LOSE.

[nygrl23]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 10:39am

Wish I had Carnegie's millions. I would match the League's emergency fund.

[singtopher]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 10:41am

Do we know why they regected Bloomberg's offer to mediate?

[nygrl23]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 10:43am

"Unions are just some of the reasons in this country that prices are rising on various things and the reason why i'm sure many of our products in america are being forced to be made in LEAD poisoning China."

Forced? Nah. More like "chosen" to be made by people who outsource jobs, because Americans should be ashamed they have you know, expenses.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 10:44am

Charlotte St. Martin should be on my hometown's school committee. They never listen to what the people affected by their decisions have to say. She'd be perfect.

Updated On: 11/19/07 at 10:44 AM

[bugmenot]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 12:20pm

> Do we know why they regected Bloomberg's offer to mediate?

Bloomberg didn't offer to mediate, he offered the use of gracie mansion (which is a little out of the way for people who work in the theatre district). It was more convenient for talks to be held in midtown. Bloomberg did suggest the name of a mediator, but the business and contract are so complex, I don't see how a mediator from outside the industry could get up to speed on it in the time available before the holidays. A lot of people hoped Robert Johnson from Disney would be able to bring the sides together. It didn't happen.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 12:36pm

There is also a sentiment that Bloomberg's involvement would not be the fairest as he apparently isn't pro-union. I don't know if this is true or not.

And for NJluvstheatre: I'm sorry that you don't like unions. But I believe that this country needs them. The history of our nation has proved that. The history of theatre has proven that we must have them to protect the folks making the show happen--especially the actors.

I'm not saying that contracts shouldn't be up for evolution. But, that evolution does need to be fair.

[Taka]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 3:27pm

Grinch isn't happening. There's gonna be a lockout.


But I have a question. Doesn't Wicked have a similar contract to Grinch's? If so, then how come there isn't talks of bringing Wicked back? Or am I just misinformed?


Thanks in advance. I really don't want to jump into something I know nothing about.

[mastachen2]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 3:29pm

Hate to burst your bubble, but it did.

Unless by close you mean Spring Awakening wouldn't open again.. but that doesn't make sense.

Oops... that was meant for a post on the first page. NVM
Updated On: 11/19/07 at 03:29 PM

[popular_elphie]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 3:46pm

Grinch isn't happening. There's gonna be a lockout.
They're going to tell them to take down the picket line just to lock them out of the theater?

If you weight it on each side, the League has done more threatening things. First, the lockout, and then imposing parts of their contract anyways when negotiations weren't going well. To me, they seem extremely vicious in this. I don't like Miss St. Martin too much right now. I agree that we need Bloomberg in this. The city is going to lose a TON this week, especially the theater district.

I'm getting to that point where I just want to say deal with it and impose some sort of something to keep these shows running, and people in a job. Some actors in Broadway shows have been looking for part-time work because $405/week is not enough. And I'd really like to go back to work, too. I miss having money, and I do enjoy my job.

[bugmenot]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 3:54pm

I miss my job, too. But if it means having to work under rules IMPOSED by one side without good-faith negotiation, agreement, and fair exchange, I would rather go work elsewhere.

[Taka]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 3:59pm

You're a stagehand, bugmenot?


Perhaps then you can help explain what exactly the unions are fighting for to me. All I can make out of it is the featherbedding bit, which really doesn't make any sense. I'm not the sharpest tool, otherwise I'd still be posting here under my other account.

I'm not trying to insult you. I just want both sides before I have an opinion.


Thanks in advance. I want my information straight from someone who's affected by it.

[BroadwayBaby2007]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 9:31pm

Does any one know if the casts still has to picket for an hour or so? or are they just leeting them chill out at home until the strike is over