League's Open Letter to Actors & Stage Managers

[SakeDad]

Posted: 11/21/07 at 1:58am

There is a very interesting open letter to actors and stage managers on the League's website basically stating they dont know why Local One is bringing up Equity negotiations later this year when the League had no anticipation of any problems. It's in pdf format so you'll need to be able to open that to read it.
Curious to hear from all AEA members what you think the League is tring to say to us before we start our negotiations.

League Open Letter to Actors and Stage Managers

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 11/21/07 at 2:01am

so why are they not even giving an inch?
You have to negotiate and talk.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 11/21/07 at 2:06am

If the debate between the League and Local One is truly about the contract, then AEA should have nothing to worry about.

But, if this issue is really about busting the unions, we're next.

Local 1 is the strongest Broadway union. What happens here and now will affect future negotiations.

So the question is What is the truth? What are the League's true motivations--what they say or an attempt to destroy unions on Broadway?

This is the answer I am searching for as are many people in the various unions.

[amasis]

Posted: 11/21/07 at 2:10am

I'm not an actor. But I saw the letters (there's another, more general one for 'Employees'), and I thought the letter to actors were quite clever in the way it says, "Your Equity leadership is lying to you, and if things go wrong next summer, it'll be their fault."

Whatever their intention was, to this reader it came across a little creepy.
Updated On: 11/21/07 at 02:10 AM

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 11/21/07 at 2:15am

I have to admit that I agree. I also don't like the tone that implies that everyone except the stagehands (and front of house) are the only real artists in the theatre.

There may be a great dispute right now between the League and stagehands, but let's at least have respect for the talents and artistry involved despite the business issues.

Maybe that is not at all what was intended, but it's how that letter comes off.

[Neverandy]

Posted: 11/21/07 at 2:30am

I think that if Non-eq touring is again a sticking point, AEA is going to ask for solidarity from IATSE on that issue. IF all of the locals around the country decide to refuse to work non-eq shows, then the road would essentially be shut down(at least in major markets).

[Dover]

Posted: 11/21/07 at 4:54am

I'm an Equity stage manager and I firmly believe that this is a sign of trouble for next year. This is not because I've been swayed by any propaganda coming from my union or from Local 1. I have come to this conclusion based on things the League has said ABOUT THEMSELVES. They were the ones who said that they wanted to make sweeping changes to the Local 1 contract and would not accept anything less. This is not negotiation.

If they were willing to try this ridiculous intimidation on Local 1 of all unions, they wouldn't hesitate to use it on Equity or 802. Especially if it works. Which is why as stupid as this strike is, I'd rather see it continue than for Local 1 to accept an unreasonable offer.

[JimmyP2]

Posted: 11/21/07 at 8:23am

I agree, this is a little creepy. The first thing that came to mind was the old line.

"Come Into My Parlor Said The Spider To The Fly"

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 11/21/07 at 8:31am

Just when I thought the "league" couldn't get any lower they manage to do just that. What slime!!!

[Chelsea4044]

Posted: 11/21/07 at 8:34am

You know what's creepy? Claffey talking to the actor's saying "you know you're next". There's something to be said about instilling fear for your own purposes. If the Leagues' letter is true, and the deal they offered WAS refused, then Tom Short needs to get rid of Claffey.When the musicians struck and they accepted the deal which I believe cut about 30 percent of their work nobody blinked. What makes the stagehands think they are any better. It's economics people!

[TechEverlasting]

Posted: 11/21/07 at 8:35am

I think I know what job Karl Rove took after resigning from the Bush administration.

The endless spin and calculated PR from the League is far too familiar to anyone who has been following American politics in recent years. Clearly the League has been told (probably by some ridiculously overpaid PR hack) that if they project the right message they'll be able to divide and conquer Broadway's unions and putting on a show won't have to be any more expensive than opening a Wendy's.

Nice touch getting Micheal Riedel and the rest of the NY press to spread the word that this was all Local One's fault.

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 11/25/07 at 9:21pm

I've attended a lot of producers' meetings at the League over the past few years and the only contract I ever hear them complain about is the Stagehands'. I can't even remember a gripe about Equity or other contracts. My guess is that the League is expecting some percentage increase on the Equity contract as to be normal for doing business.

I thought the League's letter was very nice and not a "ploy." You should sit there and hear these producers talk about all the work and ingenuity they've done to bring a show to Broadway and how unbelievably hard it was. Trying so hard to market the shows to find their audience. We are not talking big corporate producers here but smaller folk who have often banded together to scrape together the money to mount a show. These folk admire and adore actors and if they didn't, and didn't have a deep love of the performing arts they wouldn't risk so much of their lives and time to produce. They don't own the theatres and they aren't landlords. I admire their grit, intelligence and dedication. You should have heard how Little Women scraped so hard to get their $500,000 of initial capitalization to begin their Broadway mounting after an out-of-town tryout at a University in like North Carolina to save costs (and where they had a lot of the costumes built).

And what is really strange to hear on here is, these people who are so dedicated to bringing show to life that can provide jobs are by some being looked at as "the enemy" when in truth they are more like a hard-working parent.

If representatives from the big corporations attend those meetings you wouldn't know it--they might send an intern or more likely, an intern who hopes to eventually become a producer will attend on their own. It's individual producers and often there are artistic and management staff from the Off Broadway theatres who hope and expect they will have a show succeed Off Broadway and move up to Broadway.