THE STAGE HANDS ARE BULLIES

I have been an avid theatre goer for years and I do not understand how this stage hands union can ever justify that someone should get paid for not working! How is that fair? No matter how much money a producer is getting why should you get paid for not working. If a show only needs 4 actors. They don't have to pay 10. Actors never get paid for not working so why stage hands?

Also they are pointing and calling the producers greedy YET 4 out of 5 broadway shows loose millions of dollars! Broadway is a terrible business, and its hard to find investors because its next to impossible to recoup. In most cases producers do this as an act of charity. This is not about a WICKED or MAMA MIA, yes they made money and can afford higher costs but what about the 80% of shows that loose millions and leave there investors at a loss? This fight is about them. No one is being greedy. GET IN TOUCH WITH REALITY STAGEHANDS!!! you don't deserve money for time and jobs that arent needed! You are killing a beautiful industry!

Updated On: 11/10/07 at 01:28 PM

I smell a sock puppet.

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Mateo, I was just about to point that out. You beat me to it.

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"I have been an avid theatre goer for years and I do not understand how this stage hands union can ever justify that someone should get paid for not working! How is that fair? No matter how much money a producer is getting why should you get paid for not working. If a show only needs 4 actors. They don't have to pay 10. Actors never get paid for not working so why stage hands?

Also they are pointing and calling the producers greedy YET 4 out of 5 broadway shows loose millions of dollars! Broadway is a terrible business, and its hard to find investors because its next to impossible to recoup. In most cases producers do this as an act of charity. This is not about a WICKED or MAMA MIA, yes they made money and can afford higher costs but what about the 80% of shows that loose millions and leave there investors at a loss? This fight is about them. No one is being greedy. GET IN TOUCH WITH REALITY STAGEHANDS!!! you don't deserve money for time and jobs that arent needed! You are killing a beautiful industry! "


And you joined just today, to give us your profound opinion? Thank you. I was especially impressed by the fact that, "In most cases producers do this as an act of charity." How kind of them, how altruistic, it makes me want to run right out and give them a big hug and a wet kiss too.

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Theater investment is a crap shoot - sometimes you win, other times you lose, but it ain't charity and either you end up with a profit or a tax write off. Not altruistic, just business.

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ooh look guys, cooperross got a sock puppet.

they are lairs?



THEY HAVE DRAGONS IN THEM??????????????????????/



ZOMG THE LOCAL ONE HAS DRAGONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!ONEONEONEONEONEONEONEONEONEONEONEOENOENEONE

It sure is and those who win, win big. The same can be said of most of Atlantic City or Las Vegas but still rich people and the not so rich continue to gamble away their money. You still have to pay the dealers though, whether you win or lose.

The point is, you have to pay for talented people to work for you no matter what. Most won't go to see a show that has a bunch of flaws in the performance. You don't call joe blow to fix your plumbing. You better call a professional and you can bet you are going to pay for not knowing how to fix it yourself. Still, it is better than going without water or have your house flooding.

Stagehands are not going to work without a contract. That is how it is right now. If stagehands won't work than Actors can't do the stunts. They also believe that what stagehands do is important so they too have joined the strike. So no matter what, no shows in these Companies will go on until reasonable offers are put forth in good merit.

Actually, the head of the union said that they wouldn't go into December without a contract. He never promised they wouldn't start in November -- just that BY December they'd either have a new contract or there would be a strike, which, is exactly what's happened.

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BWW is starting to hurt my brain.

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How very interesting and sad. If I walked out of my job and decided to strike, I would be fired. I guess that's because I am not part of a union. I wish I made more money for work I did. But forcing the shows to close, costing TICKET HOLDERS money and dissapointment, esp. if they flew down just to see broadway shows, is not okay. These unions are just stupid and money hungry, and do more harm then good and instead of protecting people they just rally for more money. Goodness, what a good life when you can stop work and demand more money.

Broadway is a billion dollar industry and has never been more profitable than now. If you were hired to work for 20 days wouldn't you expect to be paid for the entire 20 day period even if the producers decided at some point that they don't need you for 3 of those days? And when exactly would that decision be made? How much notice would you need to find another job when you previously thought that you were secure? If an actor comes into rehearsal for two hours they aren't paid for two hours, they are paid for the day and rightly so. This is not an hourly industry. You can't reasonably expect the stagehands who earn a decent, but hardly lavish salary to take a 38% cut in jobs and wages. Producers and theatre owners are wealthy people. Robbing the working class of a day's wage here and there will certainly ensure them even more wealth. And actors let us not forget that our contract is up for negotiation in 7 months.

I just don't understand why people who hate the Union go to see shows put on by Union Workers? It makes no sense to me. You are supporting that which you say you hate and then you are complaining about it? It's strange, that's all.