Broadway Stagehands Approve Contract

It's official! Local One, the Broadway stagehands union, has ratified its contract with the League of American Theatres and Producers. Though the details of the contract, which was tentatively agreed upon between the two parties after a three-week Broadway strike and extensive negotiations, are unknown, it will be in effect for five years.

The Broadway Strike Is Over!

On Day 19 of the strike that temporarily closed 27 Broadway shows, Local One and the League of American Theatres and Producers finally came to an agreement on the union's contract. Although the union won't vote to ratify the agreement for another 10 days, the stagehands are going right back to work, with all Broadway shows resuming performances on Thursday, November 29.

This was the first time that Local One went on strike in its entire 121-year history. Although it was hardly an ideal time for Broadway to be closed down (Thanksgiving week is usually a big moneymaker for Broadway shows) and millions of dollars were lost for both the shows and New York City, it doesn't seem that the strike did as much damage as might have been expected since no shows posted closing notices. However, the full impact of this nearly three week shutdown of Broadway will probably be better understood in the coming days and weeks.

One thing is for sure, though, and that's that Broadway needs the support of its fans now more than ever. So go get tickets for a show!

Local One and League in Talks Tonight

After a dark and silent Thanksgiving week, the League of American Theatres and Producers resumed contract negotiations with the Broadway stagehands union on Sunday. When the two parties broke early this morning for a 12-hour rest, word was that things were going in a positive direction. They reconvened this evening, and the Broadway community is hopeful that a resolution is on the horizon. With any luck, there will be some good news to report tomorrow.

Stagehands and Producers Resume Talks as Broadway Strike Enters 2nd Week

Twenty-seven Broadway shows have now been dark for over a week, but there may be a light at the end of the tunnel -- today, the Broadway stagehands' union Local One and the League of American Theatres and Producers resumed negotiations for the first time since the union went on strike on November 10. No word yet on whether there has been any progress, but we'll keep you updated. In the meantime, Broadway fans will have to settle for the eight shows that are still open (their theaters are on different contracts with Local One): The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Cymbeline, Mary Poppins, Mauritius, Pygmalion, The Ritz, Xanadu, and Young Frankenstein.

Broadway Stagehands Union Contract Update

The latest news in the ongoing contract dispute between the Broadway stagehands union Local One and the League of American Theatres and Producers is that the two parties will return to the negotiating table on November 7. Talks between the Broadway stagehands and producers ceased on October 9, and since that time, Local One voted to authorize a strike (if necessary) and the producers began implementing portions of their proposed contract, even though the union obviously hasn't accepted the offer. Local One leadership instructed its members to go ahead and abide by the new provisions until a new contract has been officially agreed upon.

At this stage, it's hard to say whether or not there will be a strike. The League's imposition of the new rules was an aggressive move that seemed designed to provoke, but Local One has never gone on strike before and likely doesn't want to start now. The head of IATSE, Local One's parent union, will be present at the new negotiations, which isn't necessarily a good sign, though -- an IATSE representative must be present at one round of talks before Local One is permitted to strike.

Broadway Stagehands Union Contract Update

Some people, particularly those holding tickets for Broadway shows, have been concerned that the current contract dispute between Local One (the Broadway stagehands union) and the League of American Theatres and Producers could result in a Broadway shutdown. The latest from Local One is that they will be meeting on October 21st for a vote to authorize the union leadership to take whatever steps necessary in the event that the League implements work rules that the union has not agreed to. Even at that point, it appears that a strike couldn't happen for another 10 days. And in its entire history, Local One has yet to ever strike, so there's probably no need to panic yet.

Regardless of the outcome, certain Broadway shows (which are playing at theaters that are under a different contract) would not be affected by either a strike or a lockout. These shows include: Young Frankenstein, Mary Poppins, The Ritz, Mauritius, and Pygmalion.

Broadway Producers and Stagehands in Troubled Contract Negotiations

Things are getting tense between the League of American Theatres and Producers and Local One (aka the stagehands union). On October 9, following a month of contract negotiations, both sides presented what they considered to be their final offers -- which are, needless to say, incompatible. Hopefully the League and Local One will work out their differences soon, or else Broadway could come to a standstill. Without stagehands, the show simply can't go on.