Oct 22, 2007 1:11 pm US/Eastern
Panic In The Air? Strike Could Hush Broadway Magic
Stagehands Dispute With Producers Over Number Of Workers Hired
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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Producers want more control over how many stagehands they can hire.
CBS
The stage is set for another strike in New York Cith after Broadway stagehands have authorized a potential walkout that could cost the city millions of dollars a day.
For now, the show will go on, but dark days on The Great White Way are looming come December. Stagehands voted Sunday to give their union permission to authorize a walkout which could affect nearly half of all Broadway theaters.
At issue: work rules. Producers want more control over how many stagehands they can hire for each show, while the union is looking to retain jobs.
The vote to give their union permission to call for a walkout was unanimous. If they do strike, what will it mean for ticket holders?
"The union has said that they would give notice. Certainly if something should happen -- and we don't control that, Local One controls that -- the shows will either refund or exchange the tickets," said Charlotte St. Martin, a spokesperson for the League of American Theaters and Producers.
A strike could close down most Broadway shows, and according to published reports, the union is marking December 1st as the deadline. It would likely affect nearly two dozen Broadway theaters, and would create a serious financial burden for the city, especially since December is such a busy season.
Meanwhile, the stagehands will begin working today under new contract terms that are now being imposed, and say they will give negotiators plenty of time to come back to the table to avoid the stages of Broadway going dark.
While the union has never shut down Broadway theaters, producers have set aside $20 million to help cover their costs if there is a shutdown.
But theaters wouldn't be the only businesses taking a hit. Local restaurants and tourist spots would also face serious losses.
"We depend like 75 percent on the theatre, so if we have no show, business will go down," said Gustavo Rossario of the nearby Roxy Delicatessan.
Tour bus operator Jose Rivera echoed those feelings. "A lot of our customers are here to see a Broadway show. They stop for a downtown tour and then they go see a show, so of course its going to affect us," he said.
Stay withw cbstv.com and CBS 2 for the latest in this continuing story.
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