My Pro-Union story

[Buddyblazon]

A little back story. The venue I am stage manager at was unionized back in the early 2000's. I was living with one of the main instigators for the union move at the time. Though I was not a part of their stage hand crew, I was a PA and runner at the venue. I sat around with all of those stage hands in our living room. I must've been the biggest cheerleader, even though a couple pointed out (even though we tried to get it included) that my position was not part of the deal.

"I don't care. They've fucked me for the last few years too. At least you guys will be taken care of."

I had little idea that years later, I would be the stage manager of the very same crew.

Fast forward to two nights ago:

The head sound guy at the venue around the corner sent me a text in the middle of the show two nights ago:

"Do you have a minute to talk?"

I told him sure. He was in our back alley in 5 minutes and I met him to ask him if everything was okay.

Looking around nervously, in a hushed voice, he says, "We want to know how you like dealing with your Union crew?".

Me: "Are you kidding me? These people are my family. I love working with them. I wish this country had exponentially more people in Unions. It's important to me that they are taken care of...and if they never unionized...they'd still be making the same wages from 7 years ago."

Him: "Good. That's great to hear. We wanted your opinion because we have a meeting tomorrow with the Union on our final decision to Unionize. We wanted to know what you think we should do?"

Me: "Why are you even hesitating? Your theater, like ours, is owned by a massive corporation, and they haven't given you guys raises in years? Fuck them. Unionize. Tell the Union 'absolutely' tomorrow."

Him: "Thanks, man. Have a good show."


I go back into my venue. He goes back to his.

After about 10 minutes, positive text messages start coming in from their crew (yes...I'm friends with all of their crew as well). These guys and gals are pumped, and I'm pumped for them.



I wonder what their management will say if they ever found out they talked to me the night before the big decision and I was a vehement, "abso-fucking-lutely"? Quite frankly if anybody in our city and in our industry were to read this post, it would take them ten seconds to figure out who I am. It would probably spell trouble for me as I am not lucky enough to be a Union member. But I just don't fucking care because if we don't start building back up our Union membership in this country, it may be the death of us all.


My first good deed of the New Year. Now if I could only figure out a way to Unionize my position.

Fuck these greedy, corporate, cocksuckers!





Time to get your Union on, America!

[patrice]

1. I wonder if, in your particular field, it wouldn't be kind of easy to document the benefits to

the economic enterprise that come from unionization.

[Buddyblazon]

2. My crew is exponentially happier than their crew.

And that makes me happier, because they enjoy coming to work. They know they'll be paid a decent wage. They know we'll make sure their is food in their bellies and they aren't worked through meal breaks.

Stage hands tend to be a rare breed though. And the guys at the top in these corps look at them like lepers to be taken advantage of...as sub-humans...as the "piss-boys". I'd like to wrap my fingers around the tie of one of those corporate assholes, drag his pansy ass onto stage, throw a harness on him and shriek at the top of my lungs:

GET YOUR FUCKING ASS UP THAT TOWER NOW, BITCH!!!

As far as documenting...any and all of them would tell you the benefits that have ensued for our stage hands from unionizing our house.

[patrice]

4. I know people who do independent films, so I have kind of an

idea of what you are referring to in terms of how certain kinds of people are considered completely expendable by some of the TPB.

[onethatcares]

3. amazingly enough

on another board the shrill bleat was that "union stage hands are making $290,568.43 a year for movin chairs around" The sheep were just outraged and could not understand why they would make that much. I'm kinda amazed myself, but figure they probably earn it and it's not for sitting around speculating on who to fuck out of their homes next.

[Buddyblazon]

5. whoever said that....

is a straight fucking liar. Give me a link so I can dismantle those fucking pricks.

Most of these people barely clear 20k a year...and only a third of that is coming from our venue.

"Moving chairs around"? Seriously? I would love to see one of those fucking jackasses climb a tower 50-80' and then work for hours.

[Buddyblazon]

6. And the sad thing is that...

non-Union hands are making even less than that.

Maybe if you work on Broadway. But if they can't figure out why an IATSE Local #1 hand in NYC on Broadway makes a good chunk of change, then the two brain cells left in their head are obviously fighting.

[onethatcares]

7. type this into your search engine

"the politcal hook", go to post number 28615. You'll see the bullshit close up. this is a fishing page with a political sub section. Good luck and thanks.

[needledriver]

8. Stage Managers have a union.

My first good deed of the New Year. Now if I could only figure out a way to Unionize my position.

You probably already know this but:

http://www.actorsequity.org/

[Buddyblazon]

9. No...I did not know that...

I sent them a message and I'l let you know what their reply is.

Now you've done YOUR first good deed of the New Year.

Really...truly...thank you so very much.

[needledriver]

10. You are welcome!

Happy New Year!

[sarcasmo]

11. "Fuck these greedy corporate cocksuckers" would make a great song.

[Buddyblazon]

12. The gm in our large venue...

just told me that our band could rehearse in house on dark days.

Maybe that will be the first song we write in the new space.

[Bluenorthwest]

13. I can not tell you how much I love reading this post

Kicked and all.