actors during strike — Page 4

The point I'm trying making is that with the way technology is going and jobs are being replaced by machines, it could eventually come to this. So I'm asking if they feel the same way on this position. It could potentially put more people out of work.

Interesting thought, but I think that would just be silly. On the line I was on yesterday, there were lots of actors from the show milling around -- & it was generally considered in support of the stagehands. Granted: they had to show up & check in, but that didn't mean they had to stand near the picketers' pen. They could have walked to the other side to show a lack of support.

"Although then I think it was an issue about the quality of the work -- could machinery do a comparable job?"

The answer to that would be subjective. In my opinion, probably not. But perhaps in the opinion of a Producer who's trying to save a few bucks, it might be just fine. And since it's the Producer who would have the final word, I wouldn't bet on him going for artistic integrity over dollars.

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Took the words from my mouth JustAGuy.

Depending on the quality of work the machine can do, it might even come out better than if a person did it. For instance, not having to worry about the newest edition to the orchestra letting out a foul note. But then again, with technology you have to worry about the system failing. You can never win. Each situation is different and should be judged accordingly.

Updated On: 11/11/07 at 03:05 PM

"Why is AEA supporting them when they will never support AEA???"

NEVER is a mighty potent word to use there Jerry. Just because you say it will NEVER happen doesn't actually mean that it won't.

AEA building a bit of goodwill with it's fellow union members is not a bad thing to do especially, when AEA's contract with the League expires in June. Supporting Local One in this strike is actually very easy for AEA. Even if they didn't support the strike, there still wouldn't be any performances, because the League is not trying to bring in scab labor to get the shows up and running. The true test would be if scabs were brought in and I don't see that happening. Who's gonna train them? AEA supporting Local One is a no brainer at this point.

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I' not going to have a petty online argument with you and find you past posts you've made. I despise people who do that and therefore won't do it myself

Of course. It has nothing to do with the fact that the posts don't exist.

And I agree that there are more important things to discuss on Broadway, which is why I was perplexed at the smear campaign launched against me personally in this thread for merely disagreeing with Heather. If you didn't want to have a petty online argument, you shouldn't have started it.


BwayJerry, the actors, musicians and stagehands unions all unite when they're against being screwed over by the producers. If you want to discuss non-Equity tours, why doesn't Equity put out statements to never work with Tony-winning, critically-lauded directors who are brought in and paid to work on non-Equity tours? If the stagehands shouldn't work for them, neither should the directors, the choreographers, the musicians (not sure what their policy is), the theatres that host non-Equity shows, the publicity teams, etc. You can't point the finger at JUST the stagehands because they're currently the bad guys for shutting down Broadway.

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Exactly.

I can certainly point the finger at IATSE over this issue. AEA is the weakest of the 4As unions and it's no big secret. the League knows that and an actor's strike is never threatened because the leaders of AEA roll over whenever they get a breadcrumb thrown to them.

With the support of other unions (i.e. IATSE who AEA has ALWAYS been supportive of and is currently being put out of work by). Ask around. You will be quite surprised by the number of actors who feel the same way.

There is NO, read: ZERO history of IATSE throwing their support behind AEA, even when it was needed and specifically requested. This is because the stagehand's union is looking out ONLY for themselves, as always.

IATSE should be sued by equity and by all the actors they put out of work by pursuing their exhorbitant desires and needs.

I thought as time went on, the socialist in me would end up siding with the union, but the opposite has happened. I've grown more and more upset at the bullying and the bellyaching that IATSE continues to represent.

I think it's ridiculous and stupid for AEA to be supporting IATSE right now.