Theater News

Local One Authorizes Strike But Takes No Immediate Action

New York City
Local One of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees has unanimously authorized its leaders to call a strike if necessary, which would darken most Broadway theaters. However, the union has said it would not call a strike without warning the public, and Local One president, James J. Claffey, indicated in a press statement that the union might be prepared to work until December without a contract.

Meanwhile, The League of American Theatres and Producers Inc., which can authorize a “lockout” of union employees, thereby shutting down shows, announced that they were not planning to take such action, leaving it up to Local One to stop work. However, the League has announced it will unilaterally implement some new work rules tomorrow, much to the union’s dismay.

Local One has been working without a contract since July, and the two sides have been negotiating since then over a new contract. Each side has presented a so-called “final offer” which has been rejected by the other. For their part, the League, which has represented the Shubert and Jujamcyn Organizations in these negotiations, has offered a 16 percent wage increase over five years to union employees, while insisting that the union make concessions over the number of employees — including carpenters and electricians — that need to be hired during a show’s load-in process. The union is standing firm that job cuts are not negotiable.

In the event of either a strike, not all of Broadway’s 39 theaters would be affected. The New Amsterdam, The Hilton, the Helen Hayes, Circle in the Square — none of which are owned by either the Shubert or Jujamcyn Organizations — and theaters owned by the Roundabout, Manhattan Theatre Club, and Lincoln Center Theatre are among the houses not covered by the union’s contract. In addition, the union has a separate contract with the Nederlander Organization, which runs nine Broadway houses.