Broadway producers threaten lockout

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.newyorkbusiness.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070921/FREE/70921005/0/breaking

Miriam Kreinin Souccar

September 21. 2007 1:44PM

The Great White Way could go dark on Oct. 1 if a labor agreement isn’t reached between Broadway producers and the people who work behind the curtains.

Earlier this month, the League of American Theatres and Producers set a deadline of Sept. 30 to resolve its contract talks with Local One of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. Sources say producers are threatening a lockout—in which management closes down a show—if the union doesn’t accept its final offer at that time.

The two groups have been negotiating sporadically since their three-year agreement expired in July. The talks have been especially contentious because the league wants to eliminate a number of long-standing work rules that would reduce stagehands’ hours at a time Broadway is breaking box-office records.

The league says the work requirements at issue can inflate production costs by over 15%. For example, theaters must hire the same number of people every day during a show’s setup, or “load in,” even if they are not needed each day.

“Costs on Broadway have skyrocketed over the last few years,” says one theater executive. “We just want to pay the stagehands for the work they actually do.”

Union officials contend that producers are being greedy. Box-office grosses are skyrocketing, and press reports about sold-out shows and $450 premium tickets for Mel Brooks’ incoming musical, Young Frankenstein, give the union grist for the mill.

FULL story at link.

[Hieronymus]

1. I'm for unions, but because of this kind of thing, who can afford to go to

a Broadway play? It pays to take in a few plays in London..much less money.