Chances of a Strike?

[macbeth]

Posted: 9/22/25 at 2:17pm

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Over-1300-Equity-Members-Send-Letter-to-The-Broadway-League-20250915

Looks like 6 days till the current agreement expires? Should we be worried? 

[goodtimes123]

Posted: 9/23/25 at 7:57am

macbeth said: "https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Over-1300-Equity-Members-Send-Letter-to-The-Broadway-League-20250915

Looks like 6 days till the current agreement expires? Should we be worried?"

What’s the likelihood of this happening? And if there is a strike, would shows go dark next week? 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 9/23/25 at 8:21am

They can keep working on an expired agreement. A strike authorization vote would be the last step and I’m sure would like to be avoided by all sides.

I’m sympathetic to the actors and SMs wanting more money and better terms, but the numbers are the numbers and increasing running costs means even fewer people will have jobs.

[KKeller6]

Posted: 9/23/25 at 9:14am

Salaries mean little in terms of success to a successful show.  This is more ridiculousness by the people in charge.  There were 77 productions this season.  If every time a restaurant falls, should we discuss lowering their salaries? We can play this game for every single business in every single sector.  Some businesses fail, some succeed. If you cant succeed paying decent wages across the board, you fail.  And you should fail. It's really that simple.

 I choose to focus on the shows that are billion dollar enterprises. I choose to focus on the shows running for years that have made money. Don't buy this " recoupment" crap.  It's all a shell game.  

 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 9/23/25 at 9:51am

I wholeheartedly agree that long-running shows should have higher pay rates and new ones should be lowered — or better yet, wages should be on a sliding scale dictated by the gross, the gross potential, recoupment status, and the capitalization. In the same way that you can’t compare a startup clothing shop’s finances to Macys; they are not on the same playing field.

Billion-dollar properties are the exception, not the norm, on Broadway. About 10 shows in the entire history of Broadway. If Equity is basing its negotiation on those rare properties, they are missing the point.

Updated On: 9/23/25 at 09:51 AM

[BJR]

Posted: 9/23/25 at 11:51am

KKeller6 said: "Some businesses fail, some succeed. If you cant succeed paying decent wages across the board, you fail. And you should fail. It's really that simple."

I'd waager this is not the take of someone who has had to keep a business open before.

[Observation]

Posted: 9/23/25 at 11:54am

BJR said: "KKeller6 said: "Some businesses fail, some succeed. If you cant succeed paying decent wages across the board, you fail. And you should fail. It's really that simple."

I'd waager this is notthe take of someone who has had to keep a business open before."

If there is a strike, QoV should use that as an out and never open that production. 

[KKeller6]

Posted: 9/23/25 at 12:06pm

I think the idea is they can pay for a lot of misses and vanity projects. But you can't base pay on anything like that. I'm not suggesting that.  I'm saying you have to look at the overall picture. And if you do, you realize there's plenty of money to spend on labor.  And whatever else you need. 

Updated On: 9/23/25 at 12:06 PM

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 9/23/25 at 1:05pm

The overall picture of what? It doesn’t seem that you have ant idea of how this industry functions.

A new show has one meaningful income stream: ticket sales. Each show is a startup. We saw at least 18 shows close early or close without turning a profit last season because they could not sell enough tickets.

A significant distribution of wealth happens on any show that requires a Priority Loan or other infusion of cash to keep it going (case in point: ATG keeping CABARET running in many unprofitable weeks). More often than not, the entity putting up the money to keep an unprofitable show running will never see a cent back. (That’s not saying these investors are altruistic — this is a business.)

It’s fine to believe that the financing and revenue model needs to change, but that is not applicable to a conversation about union minimums.

Updated On: 9/23/25 at 01:05 PM

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 9/23/25 at 1:17pm

Observation said: "BJR said: "KKeller6 said: "Some businesses fail, some succeed. If you cant succeed paying decent wages across the board, you fail. And you should fail. It's really that simple."

I'd waager this is notthe take of someone who has had to keep a business open before."

If there is a strike, QoV should use that as an out and never open that production."

Two Strangers may consider this, as well.

[JSquared2]

Posted: 9/23/25 at 1:23pm

KKeller6 said: "Salaries mean little in terms of success to a successful show. This is more ridiculousness by the people in charge. There were 77 productions this season. If every time a restaurant falls, should we discuss lowering their salaries? We can play this game for every single business in every single sector. Some businesses fail, some succeed. If you cant succeed paying decent wages across the board, you fail. And you should fail. It's really that simple.

I choose to focus on the shows that are billion dollar enterprises. I choose to focus on the shows running for years that have made money. Don't buy this " recoupment" crap. It's all a shell game.

 

Wha?? 

Do you honestly believe that "lowering salaries" is on the table -- by either side?? Also, contracts are negotiated and signed BEFORE the show starts performances -- so I have no idea why you're bringing "recoupment" (which is a REAL thing) into the equation?

 

[JSquared2]

Posted: 9/23/25 at 1:25pm

Observation said: "BJR said: "KKeller6 said: "Some businesses fail, some succeed. If you cant succeed paying decent wages across the board, you fail. And you should fail. It's really that simple."

I'd waager this is notthe take of someone who has had to keep a business open before."

If there is a strike, QoV should use that as an out and never open that production."

 

Contracts (and Collective Bargaining Agreements) don't work like that.