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Local One, the Broadway stagehands’ union, has never struck in its 121-year history. Since salaries for stagehands – who handle lighting, props, sets and, yes, even Tarzan's vine – currently top off at 100K, who could blame them? But The League of American Theatres and Producers, who control 22 of 39 Broadway houses, are now wringing their hands after the union’s unanimous vote on Sunday to strike. (Last week the Nederlanders, the producers who represent nine Broadway theatres, seemed to distance themselves from the League’s stance and drift toward the union’s side.)
Local One has been working without a contract since July, but they're expected to bide their time a little longer so that the strike will have maximum impact during the peak holiday season. The League had initially vowed to “lockout” the stagehands starting this week, but backed off on the threat because they realized it was making them look wicked. They've offered a 16 percent pay raise over five years, but stagehands spurned the deal because it includes a reduction in jobs.
Producers claim they’re just trying to eliminate onerous union rules that require a set number of stagehands to be on the clock even if they’re twiddling their thumbs – a practice called “non-productive hiring" - and released a statement today saying, "The 'featherbedding' practices of the past are simply no longer acceptable. Our position is clear: no work, no pay." Bruce Cohen, Local One's spokesman, announced that a strike this week was highly unlikely: “We will not blindside the theatergoing public.” (That’s what Legally Blonde is for.)
And if there is a strike, tickets will almost certainly be refunded, leaving tourists with a wad of extra cash to support some of the great local Times Square eateries like Applebee's and Olive Garden. Also, NY1 reports that six Broadway shows would continue despite a strike: Young Frankenstein, The Ritz, Mary Poppins, Pygmalion, Mauritius, and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Stay tuned to Playgoer who has been following the story closely.
Vintage photograph of striking Local One members from Local One's photo archive
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Re:Legally Blonde - Too true, too true!!! Blindsiding them, and deafening them to boot. Have you HEARD that botched note?
"Local One, the Broadway stagehands’ union, has never struck in its 121-year history."
Versus
"Vintage photograph of striking Local One members from Local One's photo archive"
So... which is it??
I put the vintage photo in the post and my guess is that the photo is not of a Broadway strike. Local One has never struck Broadway.
I think Jen is correct. In the Playbill article linked above (first paragraph), the union refers to itself in a press release as the "121-year-old union that has never struck Broadway". The photo was taken from their website but there is no caption; there was a "Gaiety" burlesque theater in New York (since demolished), though that spelling would not match the strikers' signage. It could be that the burlesque house pictured was not, technically, a "Broadway" theater house (a designation which has little to do with location and more to do with capacity). Or maybe they were outside a "Gayety" (spelling to match the signs) in Baltimore? I'll clarify further if/when I find out more.
so the union identified in the first sentence as the Broadway stagehands' union is striking somewhere other than Broadway?? MASS CONFUSION ABOUNDS! MASS ITALICS TOO!!
Most Broadway houses employ stagehands from Local One, but Local One is not exclusively Broadway - they also work Madison Square Garden, the Met, etc. In the context of covering the Broadway strike, Local One is referred to as the Broadway union, but that's not the only "place" their members work.
In addition to the word STRIKE, all of those signs say either LOCKOUT or LOCKED OUT. In which case it wouldn't be a strike by Local One, but an action taken by theater owners or producers that would get union members to picket in front of a theater.
Grosses were up 8.9 percent for the the year for a total af $939 milion, according to Playbill. The tally is based on data supplied by The League of American Theatres and Producers
How can the league Cry Poverty.
They are just trying to smash the Unions
Management top heavy
They blow smoke everywhere.
trying to hide the truth
the Mismanagement Must be rampant