Some of this is a matter of SAFETY!

THANK YOU.

OMG this is the biggest point that needs to be made. Its all well and good wanting there to be people who can cover multiple jobs, BUT THERE NEEDS TO BE A DIFFERENT PERSON COVERING EACH THING BACKSTAGE.

What happens if you have someone covering 2 jobs, and both of systems happen to fail? You have lives in danger. People can die if things go wrong backstage. Plain and simple. The safety of actors as well as stagehands (and anyone else backstage) will be put at risk if the league has its way.

Boq101 has made the best point. Shows should draw up the contract because theaters are not obligated to hire 15 actors when only 7 are required. If a show requires 15 stagehands to operate safely there is no need to hire 20.

I don't believe the producers are jeopardizing the safety of the company. Again I don't know the exact details. I might be totally wrong and this why I have asked on another thread who knows the actual rules to inform us. For example, if a theater is obligated to hire 7 hands when the show only needs 5 to operate safely, they shouldn't be obligated to hire all 7. If a play has no flies but has lighting, than the theater should only have to hire the number appropriate to operate the fly system if necessary. It doesn't seem that the previous rules and contract were reflecting this. I could be totally wrong. If you know the actual rules please inform us.

Remember that people are not monkeys and can multi-task. Most technicians know how to operate more than one thing or at least should. If the really can only do one task, then stagehands are getting paid too much.

Oh yeah, that is such an appropriate analogy. Because running a lighting board or a fly system really is as complicated and requires the same level of skill as brain surgery. I mean, I can learn a lighting board or a fly system in a day or two. I'm sure I can learn brain surgery that easily as well.

Apples vs. Oranges.

JONIRAY-
Are you kidding me? Have you ever seen the lighting console in the Gershwin Theatre? How about the sound board in The Majestic? Your statement is so misguided it completely ruins any credibility you might have had left. You are exactly what is wrong with this message board.

---

Specialist have to earn the same degrees as general practitioners and receive more training and certification, hence more pay. We can discuss the amount of pay and whether the amount of pay a stagehand receives is appropriate in the grand scheme of life. I don't wish to do that. My comment was more about workers in general and not specifically stagehands. A worker is more valuable to a company in which he or she can perform skills competently.

Neverandy is my hero.

---

Yes, actually, I have seen the lighting console at the Gershwin (since I had an ASM friend there show me around). I’d probably like a week of training on that one

Are you really still trying to say that the level and skill for running a lighting console is comparable to a brain surgeon?

Liverpool, I see you continue to be your same lovely charming self post after post. It really makes your "side" look good.

And speaking of "sides," this "union-hater" is actually a member of two unions at the moment, and have been a member of one union or another for over 20 years. I've marched in two strikes, which I very much believed in. I just happen to find this one to be utterly ridiculous and unjustified.

You are my hero for defending/wording your statements so perfectly :)

---

"Are you really still trying to say that the level and skill for running a lighting console is comparable to a brain surgeon?"

No, I am not. Nothing in my thread said that Stage Technicians undergo the same amount of Training as a Brain Surgeon. While it may not be as comprehensive or difficult as something like Brain surgery, certain specific jobs in Theatre require a healthy amount of training-both in the classroom and on the job.
What I am saying is that in most professions, those who have specialized skills usually are justifiably compensated differently than those who are more non-specifically trained. That was pretty obvious in my previous post, but since it apparently was a difficult concept for you to grasp, I hope this clears it up.
Don't put words in my mouth.

---

mad pops neverandy for having the balls to apologise!

*I'd say something to do with the strike, but I am ill informed and ignorant....maybe once some more debating has been done I will be capable of rendering a semi-educated remark

---

Yeah, I would be. That could be automatic or easily reassigned. But are you kidding? Someone is hired to release a curtain in case of a fire. I definitely have to many things to do in my job.

There is one positive thing about the strike-it's responsible for all the cat fights that have broken out on this board!