Actors’ Fairness Recordsdata With NLRB to Characterize Manufacturing Assistants on Broadway

Actors’ Fairness has filed with the Nationwide Labor Relations Board for recognition of the union as a bargaining consultant for manufacturing assistants on Broadway and sit-down productions. 

The submitting comes after Actors’ Fairness says the manufacturing assistants didn’t acquire voluntary recognition from the Broadway League. There are about 100 manufacturing assistants who both at present work as a part of stage administration groups on about 10 productions on Broadway, or have throughout the previous two years that make up the bargaining unit. 

“The Broadway League and our members worth the work of the Manufacturing Assistants that Actors’ Fairness Affiliation is in search of to characterize. We imagine that the Nationwide Labor Relations Board is the right discussion board for figuring out whether or not an election is suitable and we’ve got inspired the Union to hunt a willpower from the Board,” the League stated in a press release. 

“We had excessive hopes for a swift and collaborative course of with The Broadway League, and are disillusioned to listen to they’ve chosen the extra contentious path,” stated Actors’ Fairness Affiliation third vice chairman Erin Maureen Koster. “That stated, these employees are giving a grasp class in solidarity, and it’s actually our honor to witness that and to proceed to assist them by each step of the organizing course of. A technique or one other, on the finish of this course of is the honest contract PAs have lengthy deserved.” 

The manufacturing assistants are hourly workers and conduct duties equivalent to making ready rehearsal supplies, operating errands and noting choices made through the rehearsal course of. The job sometimes runs from the time interval earlier than a present begins rehearsals by opening evening. Whereas the PAs are among the uncommon non-unionized employees on Broadway, many are additionally early-career stage managers and are already members of Fairness.

“These PAs are such important members of the stage administration staff that when the employer arms out firm contact sheets on the primary day of rehearsal, they’re listed alongside the PSM and ASMs,” stated Actors’ Fairness Affiliation president Kate Shindle. “Does anyone actually assume it’s a coincidence that the overwhelming majority of Broadway PAs are already Fairness stage managers? This work clearly belongs on an Fairness contract.  

“If the Broadway League’s going to make us run an election, we’ll run an election, and we’ll see them on the bargaining desk after the votes are counted,” Shindle stated.