Broadway to go dark on Dec. 1st?
Stagehands vote to strike; Broadway could go dark Dec. 1
BY JOE DZIEMIANOWICZ DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Monday, October 22nd 2007, 4:00 AM
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Cue the scary music.
The Great White Way came a giant step closer to becoming the Great Dark Way on Sunday - and Dec. 1 is looming as a do-or-die date.
Stagehands voted unanimously to authorize a strike against theater producers and owners that could close down most Broadway shows.
"No work in December without a deal," said James Claffey, president of Local One, the stagehands' union.
For now stagehands intend to keep it business as usual, even if that means abiding by controversial new work rules issued by the League of American Theatres and Producers.
The League has been demanding more leeway in determining the number of stagehands needed to run a show.
"We intend to go to work under the implemented work rules to give the League every opportunity to come back to the table and make a deal," said Bruce Cohen, a spokesman for Local One.
The 121-year-old union won't wait forever, however, and is holding out Dec. 1 - the heart of Broadway's peak holiday season - as a key deadline.
"Everybody is on higher alert," Cohen said.
Charlotte St. Martin, the League's executive director, said it remains "committed to our final contract offer."
"Our position is clear: No work, no pay," she said.
When Broadway musicians struck for four days in 2003, forcing shows to cancel performances, the city's economy took a big blow, losing about $10 million.
In addition to authorizing a strike, Local One also approved the allocation of $1 million to help other unions that might be financially affected by a work stoppage on Broadway. This includes people who work in wardrobe and hair, and theater ushers.
"This is show business," said Cohen. "If both sides of this dispute don't know drama, nobody does."
jdziemianowicz@nydailynews.com
From: here.
BY JOE DZIEMIANOWICZ DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Monday, October 22nd 2007, 4:00 AM
• Print Email Suggest a Story
Cue the scary music.
The Great White Way came a giant step closer to becoming the Great Dark Way on Sunday - and Dec. 1 is looming as a do-or-die date.
Stagehands voted unanimously to authorize a strike against theater producers and owners that could close down most Broadway shows.
"No work in December without a deal," said James Claffey, president of Local One, the stagehands' union.
For now stagehands intend to keep it business as usual, even if that means abiding by controversial new work rules issued by the League of American Theatres and Producers.
The League has been demanding more leeway in determining the number of stagehands needed to run a show.
"We intend to go to work under the implemented work rules to give the League every opportunity to come back to the table and make a deal," said Bruce Cohen, a spokesman for Local One.
The 121-year-old union won't wait forever, however, and is holding out Dec. 1 - the heart of Broadway's peak holiday season - as a key deadline.
"Everybody is on higher alert," Cohen said.
Charlotte St. Martin, the League's executive director, said it remains "committed to our final contract offer."
"Our position is clear: No work, no pay," she said.
When Broadway musicians struck for four days in 2003, forcing shows to cancel performances, the city's economy took a big blow, losing about $10 million.
In addition to authorizing a strike, Local One also approved the allocation of $1 million to help other unions that might be financially affected by a work stoppage on Broadway. This includes people who work in wardrobe and hair, and theater ushers.
"This is show business," said Cohen. "If both sides of this dispute don't know drama, nobody does."
jdziemianowicz@nydailynews.com
From: here.