Stagehands, theater producers reach deal

[cal04]

Source: AP

Broadway stagehands and theater producers reached a tentative agreement Wednesday night to end a strike that has shut down more than two dozen plays and musicals for more than two weeks.

The settlement came after two days of marathon, all-night sessions and months of negotiation between Local 1 and the League of American Theatres and Producers. The walkout, which began Nov. 10, has cost the city and theaters millions of dollars in lost income.

The agreement ending the 19-day work stoppage was confirmed by Bruce Cohen, a spokesman for the union.

Negotiations moved slowly Wednesday, too, as both sides struggled with what apparently was the last hangup, the issue of wages — how much to pay stagehands in return for a reduction in what the producers say were onerous work rules that required them to hire more stagehands than are needed.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071129/ap_on_en_ot/broadway_labor

[nosmokes]

1. I'm glad it's settled, but I get sick and tired of hearing the featherbedding

charges coming from every damn producer on every show I've ever worked just about. OK, that's an exaggeration. Probably only95%.

[Omaha Steve]

2. Great news

I just woke up and have not read anything on this until now. Thanks for the post.

[leftynyc]

3. Excellent news

it wasn't just the theatres that were losing money, it was restaurants (and their workers), cab drivers, etc...

With the dollar in the cellar, the city is bursting with tourists and many of them want to see a Broadway play. I'm glad they will be able to.

[Orsino]

4. Management usually thinks fewer workers can do the same work.

Duh. That's part of why we have unions.

[JHB]

5. The show must go on Broadway back after 19-day strike

Source: AFP

The show must go on! Broadway back after 19-day strike
12 hours ago

NEW YORK (AFP) — The curtain was set to go up at more than 20 Broadway theaters for the first time in over two weeks on Thursday after stagehands called off a strike that has cost the city millions of dollars.

Musicals such as "The Phantom of the Opera" and "The Lion King," which have been closed since stagehands walked out over stalled contract negotiations on November 10, were among the first shows set to reopen to theatergoers.

Producers and stagehands announced late Wednesday they had reached a deal after more than four days of marathon talks, paving the way for electricians, carpenters and sound and lighting technicians to go back to work.

"The people of Broadway are looking forward to returning to work, giving the theater-going public the joy of Broadway, the greatest entertainment in the world," said James Claffey, the head of the 2,200-member union for stagehands.



Read more: http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iGmYR3C0P18PEccPQ69IqCx4WCRg

[LisaM]

6. I love how the article slants against the stagehands.....

"Stagehands called off a strike....." - yet they don't really get into the concessions they were being asked to make (especially when they're charging up to $500 a ticket!)

Sounds as if they are blaming the writers for the writers' strike, too.

I'm not sure this is intentional, even, but you rarely see articles about situations like this sympathetic to labor. In Seattle, the school district broke its contract with a school bus company that hired union drivers, and got one that did not. Sure enough, problems ensued, including a number of drivers driving with suspended or revoked licenses. They reported it on the news and I emailed the reporter to see why she didn't mention the union issue. She told me she "only reported on one thing at a time".

[JHB]

8. The obvious riposte to that is...

..."OK. When will you cover the union issue, now that this other thing is out of the way?"

[Marnieworld]

7. You're right it definitely sounds like they just had a tantrum

Not a compromise was made or the producers relented but a strike started and ended for no reason. Jeesh.

I for one am thrilled because I have tickets for a Sunday performance. Yay! :D