#1
Posted: 11/19/07 at 12:26pm
A while ago I started this thread:
https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?thread=948827#3317339
asking a lot of questions of the Local One guys that stayed pretty cordial and informative. I was kind of asking questions in the dark, though. I'm now asking point-by-point on the issues being negotiated because there seems to be a lot of rules that end up paying stagehands for work that isn't performed.
As I stated in the above thread, I'm pro-union and want you to earn a fair wage, but strongly disagree with getting paid for work you aren't doing. You've said you don't featherbed (a term which by definition is accusatory and insulting) but isn't creating rules which make babysitting actors at a rehearsal and doing a safety check two separate 4 hours paid calls getting paid for more work than you are doing?
So here are the negotiating points and my questions to each:
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.)
I'm kind of on the fence about this one, but we all know that more crew are needed for a show that is changing daily with new sets and equipment than are needed for a frozen show. Since you could be accused of hiring more workers than needed on this, why are you against this rule?
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.)
Good.
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)."
It doesn't say if Local One agreed to this or not.
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.)
This is the kind of thing that gets them accussed of getting paid not to work. In this case, you are getting paid for more work than you are providing. How is that ethical?
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.)
While I disagree with the 30 minute break if a meal is provided (12 cheese pizza's have never been a meal in my book), what is wrong with staggering meals so that no one department fully shuts down?
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.)
Why do you disagree? If they are paying you to work, why can you only do the thing you were brought in to do? Can you imagine if an actor came in for a dance rehearsal, got done early and when they tried to block a scene said "I'm sorry, I was just brought in for the dance rehearsal today." The fact that it would require and additional work call means that once again, you are getting paid for more work than you are providing. Again, how is that ethical?
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.
I agree with Local One on this. A performance call should be work related to the performance.
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.
The producers are paying for the time a stagehand works. The reason the union doesn't like this rule is because they can't bill in 4 hour increments (which leads to getting paid for 4 hours even if you are only needed for 2). This is on a day when the stagehands are already at the theater and for performance related work. I understand and agree with a 4 hour minimum when they have to travel to the theater for a work call, but if they are already there, why a four hour minimum for performance related work? If they only need you for an extra hour (and pay you for it) Why should you be paid for the hours you aren't needed?
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.)
Another case of getting paid for more work than you are providing. Why is that ethical?
I am not against you guys. I want to understand. I feel I have a right to ask because I am an actor (not a rich producer) losing a lot of money right now over issues that aren't mine. I support you earning a fair wage, but if tomorrow, AEA tried to implement some of these rules for actors, I would disagree because even if I was getting paid more, I would be getting paid money for work I didn't do (e.g. if they kept rehearsing the leads in overtime and the entire ensemble got sent home but still got paid overtime.)
Again, I ask that whatever side of this issue you are on, please keep this thread respectful and focused on the facts.
https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?thread=948827#3317339
asking a lot of questions of the Local One guys that stayed pretty cordial and informative. I was kind of asking questions in the dark, though. I'm now asking point-by-point on the issues being negotiated because there seems to be a lot of rules that end up paying stagehands for work that isn't performed.
As I stated in the above thread, I'm pro-union and want you to earn a fair wage, but strongly disagree with getting paid for work you aren't doing. You've said you don't featherbed (a term which by definition is accusatory and insulting) but isn't creating rules which make babysitting actors at a rehearsal and doing a safety check two separate 4 hours paid calls getting paid for more work than you are doing?
So here are the negotiating points and my questions to each:
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.)
I'm kind of on the fence about this one, but we all know that more crew are needed for a show that is changing daily with new sets and equipment than are needed for a frozen show. Since you could be accused of hiring more workers than needed on this, why are you against this rule?
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.)
Good.
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)."
It doesn't say if Local One agreed to this or not.
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.)
This is the kind of thing that gets them accussed of getting paid not to work. In this case, you are getting paid for more work than you are providing. How is that ethical?
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.)
While I disagree with the 30 minute break if a meal is provided (12 cheese pizza's have never been a meal in my book), what is wrong with staggering meals so that no one department fully shuts down?
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.)
Why do you disagree? If they are paying you to work, why can you only do the thing you were brought in to do? Can you imagine if an actor came in for a dance rehearsal, got done early and when they tried to block a scene said "I'm sorry, I was just brought in for the dance rehearsal today." The fact that it would require and additional work call means that once again, you are getting paid for more work than you are providing. Again, how is that ethical?
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.
I agree with Local One on this. A performance call should be work related to the performance.
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.
The producers are paying for the time a stagehand works. The reason the union doesn't like this rule is because they can't bill in 4 hour increments (which leads to getting paid for 4 hours even if you are only needed for 2). This is on a day when the stagehands are already at the theater and for performance related work. I understand and agree with a 4 hour minimum when they have to travel to the theater for a work call, but if they are already there, why a four hour minimum for performance related work? If they only need you for an extra hour (and pay you for it) Why should you be paid for the hours you aren't needed?
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.)
Another case of getting paid for more work than you are providing. Why is that ethical?
I am not against you guys. I want to understand. I feel I have a right to ask because I am an actor (not a rich producer) losing a lot of money right now over issues that aren't mine. I support you earning a fair wage, but if tomorrow, AEA tried to implement some of these rules for actors, I would disagree because even if I was getting paid more, I would be getting paid money for work I didn't do (e.g. if they kept rehearsing the leads in overtime and the entire ensemble got sent home but still got paid overtime.)
Again, I ask that whatever side of this issue you are on, please keep this thread respectful and focused on the facts.
If the audience could do better, they'd be up here on stage and I'd be out there watching them. - Ethel Merman
Updated On: 11/19/07 at 12:26 PM
