Some questions for the Local 1 guys on this board- Page 3

[bugmenot]

Posted: 11/15/07 at 4:38pm

> Local one members are not paid by the show,
> they are paid by the hour

this is not correct.

once a show has begun performances, "all employees working shows shall be employed and paid on a weekly salaried basis" -- that's quoted from the contract. Once the show has begun performances, pro-rata performance rates of pay come into play (i.e. if I sub on a show, I get paid for one SHOW. Not for 3.5 HOURS). Both of these points are very clear in the contract (in fact they are both in bold-face, so I'm guessing this same dispute has some history).

Any hourly pay once a show is in performances is for extra calls -- rehearsals, preset and checkout of the show, a work call to repair items or do additional cleaning, etc.

Oh and somebody did correct me about the actors not getting paid for rehearsals, I was shocked, to say the least. IMHO, that ain't right.

Updated On: 11/15/07 at 04:38 PM

[proptart101]

Posted: 11/15/07 at 4:40pm

BwayInsider -

As actors hired by the show, your working conditions and rules are more analogous to the pink contract stagehands, who are also hired by the show.

In addition to our 8 show calls we are also expected to provide an additional 8 hours of work each week with no additional compensation. This usually includes both rehearsals each week, though some shows include the weekly work call. (some shows have agreements for compensation for the work calls, some do not)

These work rules DO NOT apply to Local One, who's contract is with the theater, not the show.

Don't know if this helps.

[proptart101]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 11:51am

Bugmenot -
Actors, stage managers and pink contract stagehands are paid salaries based on a 40 hour work week, which includes the time used for rehearsals. They are salaried employees, with all the advantages and disadvantages that entails.

Even with the concept of the "show calls", Local One stagehands are essentially hourly employees.

Personally, I think that concept of a "40 hour work week" in the theater is absurd, but it is the accepted practice and unlikely to change.

I think actors, stage managers and pink contract stagehands should also get paid for rehearsals (and work call where they are not), but I do not expect this to happen any time soon as long as the League can continue to make the "40 hour work week" argument.

Remember - you're never paid what you're worth, you're paid what you negotiate.

[Timmer]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 12:32pm

"Finally this is not about money."

Of course it is. Every strike is; every business transaction is. Money is what drives it. The producers want to save money by using fewer stagehands adn the union wants to increase the money it takes in (and oh, yeah, the members, too) by preserving the existing labor rules and getting salaries raised.

Money issues. If your union honchos told you it was about something else, they're not being completely honest with you.

[Timmer]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 12:42pm

"I believe that they deserve a raise, which should be the simplest thing to discuss....."

Give them a raise, but allow the producers more flexibility. If they have to pay more per stagehand, then tehy should be allowed to use fewer stagehands if they don't need as many. Simple.

Otherwise, we'll have $200-$250 theatre tickets. At some point, the cost becomes unsustainable for teh people in the seats -- or not in them, as the case may be.

Yogi Berra once said, "If people don't want to come to the ballpark, no one can stop them." Well, the same applies to theatre,a dn if the ticket price goes up too much, there will be fewer people coming. That's a lose-lose for all parties.

[Timmer]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 12:45pm

"I just know from working and living here that $67,000 is barely enough for a single person to surrvive on comfortably let alone a family."

And yet, there are many New Yorkers who manage it on noticeable less.

[Timmer]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 12:55pm

"Roadguy, take out taxes and all the costs of living, I don't think that they have that much left over to buy that penthouse."

And all New York City and State can think to do is RAISE taxes when they should be lowering them. That would help everyone, but the politicians refuse to do it. Apperntly, they're more interested in controlling people than helping tehm.

[proptart101]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 1:00pm

Not like I enjoy paying high taxes, but, I would rather pay for the services provided than expect my children or grandchildren to cover these costs.

The town I live in (outside of NYC, I commute into Manhattan) has very high property taxes, but we have a great school system, very good police and fire departments, good sanitation services, etc. etc. I expect to pay for services when I contract in a plumber or carpenter, why should i expect to get municipal services for free?

[BwayInsider]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 4:09pm

Thanks Proptart-I appreciate the information on the different contracts. Funny how those rules don't apply to the Local One guys though. I understand how they would feel that their wages are being decreased by the changing rules. But I cannot support their efforts to maintain their wage levels when they have been getting 'overpaid' for their job. (I know that statement will cause a lot of comment, but I can back it up.) For example, during previews when shows only do 7 performances, it is my understanding that stage hands(not sure how many) get paid both for the rehearsal call that day plus the missed performance. Essentially getting paid twice for one job. Is this true and if so, how can they even begin to argue the producers trying to eliminate that from the contract.

[roadguy]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 6:51pm

BwayInsider,
Funny how what rules don't apply to the Local One guys?? I'm a pink contract employee on tour, same contract some stagehands work under on Broadway, only i have a couple extra rules relating to travel and travel expenses. When a show is over for the night I stop working. If there was a problem during the show, we either stay late(not usually) or come in early the next day to resolve the issue(usually). This time is accumulated and if we are over our 8 hours that Proptart was speaking of, we get overtime. If you want to think of the local one guys as being on a salary for show call, go ahead. If they consistantly do 8 shows a week for x amount of dollars, their check every thursday would be exactly the same. Should they be needed an hour early on a show they get that hour paid seperately. It's like this all over the country, not just in NYC. Being the flyman on tour, I require my local flyman to fly out the show curtain after the show is complete, he receives an additional hour after the show as well.. So if he's called in at hour before half-hour, and stays to fly the curtain out at the end of the show, he gets his show pay, plus two hours. You make the comment about only doing 7 shows, but having a rehearsal call and getting paid for both a missed show and the rehearsal. I personally have never heard of that. In my situation being under pink contract, I can do 7 shows in a week and if the rehearsal call takes me over my 8 hour(as proptart already explained) I would get paid extra for that rehearsal. The rules are in place so that shows can't call rehearsals at 11pm after a show completed because someone didn't like how the chorus danced a number that night. It's all for protection. Should the producers choose to hold rehearsals every day, they pay for it. And some do. The show I work on we have a workcall every wednesday for 8 hours, purely for maintinence. Thursday and Friday afternoons are reserved for rehearsals and more times than not they are holding rehearsals. So if i get paid for those hours why shouldn't the local one guys get paid?? THEY ARE NOT ON SALARY. The only confirmed income they have is the show call every day as long as the show is running. Show call is usually 3 1/2 hours. the half hour before the show to do preset for that nights show, and 3 hours reserved for the show itself. I'm sure there are many stagehands here that can back up my next comment. When they come into the theatre for the day, the electricians do a channel check make sure they don't have any blown bulbs, automation carpenters run thru each effect. If there are blown bulbs or an effect not working, those things get fixed before the show that night and they DON'T get paid extra for that. We dont leave things broken and say screw the audience that night, I'm not getting paid to replace a blown bulb.

"I appreciate the information on the different contracts. Funny how those rules don't apply to the Local One guys though."