The Stage

US Equity authorises strike if LATP contract talks fail

Published Monday 28 June 2004 at 11:20 by Judd Hollander

US Actors’ Equity Association has voted overwhelmingly to authorise a strike if contract talks with the League of American Theatres and Producers, covering Broadway and major touring shows, do not result in a new agreement.

The current contract expired on June 27. Equity sent out more than 6000 strike authorisation ballots to its members and more than 98% of the ballots returned were in favour of going on strike.

On June 16, Equity and the League issued a joint statement saying they were both committed to reaching a fair and equitable contract. They also announced a complete media blackout until further notice, stating “we have decided that it is in our mutual interests to focus our energies at the bargaining table and to avoid the distraction of media attention”. Before the blackout was instituted however, The Stage was able to obtain comments from both sides on the ongoing negotiations.

The issue that has taken centre stage in the talks concerns non-Equity road tours. The use of such tours has grown substantially over the years, in terms of both quantity and visibility. Where once they played the bus and truck circuit in middle America, they now appear in major cities around the country and sometimes are the first tour to go out on the road after a show has reached Broadway. Equity, concerned over the loss of union jobs, naturally wants these tours to be curtailed. Producers on the other hand, citing continual increasing expenses of mounting a Broadway national tour, are looking to cut costs. As such, Equity salary requirements, usually one of the biggest expenses on a touring production, are frequently placed on the chopping block.

In a letter to Equity’s executive director Alan Eisenberg, which was later released to the press, League president Jed Bernstein brought up the subject in reference to a deal Equity had reached with Troika Presentations. To bring this non-union group under the Equity banner for Troika’s upcoming tour of Evita, set to go out this fall, Equity apparently agreed to various concessions, concessions which Bernstein called on Equity to make with the League. In asking for details of the Equity contract with Troika, Bernstein wrote: “Treat us as you treat non-League, non-Equity producers and our members will be able to send more Equity productions out on the road.”

The League also pointed to a deal they reached with the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees last December. This agreement called for - in addition to increases in minimum scale pay rates, health contributions and other benefits - “an alternative touring arrangement that allows touring shows which meet certain criteria to tour on a contract that includes reduced minimum salaries, expense reimbursement (per diem) and other modified terms.”

However, Equity spokesperson Maria Somma told The Stage that the union agreed to the Troika deal and subsequent concessions, in order “to bring them under the Equity umbrella”. The eventual idea is to raise future contracts with the company “up to Equity standards” in such areas as salary requirements, safety issues and health contributions. The Troika contracts would be increased to the Equity norm, not decreased.

There is also the issue of whether the League is willing to open their books to prove the need for such concessions. Somma argued: “The League has refused to show us where there is economic hardship, [instead] just saying it is too tough to do [a National Tour] unless it is a great big blockbuster.”

On May 24, the union noted: “Equity has stated at the bargaining table that it will be flexible about salaries for actors on the road provided that the League producers substantiate their claims for economic hardship and the need for financial relief… To date, the League has provided no financial information, even though this data was originally requested by Equity in April 2003… In any prior circumstance where a lower rate has been negotiated by Equity, the non-Equity producer has willingly opened up the financials to demonstrate why a lower rate is necessary.”

When contacted by The Stage for a response, the League replied: “We have agreed to provide Equity the information they are looking for - we did so many months ago - we just have to work out the details, which we continue to try to do. However, we have repeatedly asked Equity for the details of the agreements they have reached with non-League members - most notably, the recent agreements they have reached with Troika Presentations and to date they have completely refused to provide them to us. This is a two-way street.

“Furthermore, the League and its members have provided Equity, on several occasions, financial information that demonstrates, beyond any doubt, why shows like Oklahoma!, Oliver, The Full Monty, Thoroughly Modern Millie and some tours that are trying to go out in the future do not make sense under current Equity conditions. That is the information they say they need. That’s what they say other producers, like Troika, have been providing them - so now they need to do for us - their best customer, the producers who have consistently toured union, with Equity actors, for decades - what they have done for these non-League, non-Union producers.”

New York City Major Michael Bloomberg will not relish the prospect of a strike. When Broadway musicians took to the picket line last summer for four days, it costs the city over $4 million in lost revenue. To resolve the crisis, Bloomberg got the League and the Musician’s Union back to the negotiating tables, leading to a lengthy bargaining session and a deal being reached. Where the musician’s situation only shut down Broadway musicals, the production contract issue could cause all Broadway shows to shut. So far Bloomberg has remained silent on the matter but he will be closely monitoring the situation.