Broadway stagehands authorize strike

By Chris Michaud

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Broadway's unionized stagehands voted on Sunday to authorize a strike over proposed new work rules for its members, but for now the shows will go on and negotiations have resumed.

Members of Local 1, part of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, voted to authorize union leaders to call a strike, but all sides said that was not expected in coming days.

Talks with the League of American Theaters and Producers, which represents most of Broadway's producers and theater owners, resumed after having broken off on Friday. Stagehands have worked without a contract since late July.

The theater league said it will impose some new work rules included in what it said was its final contract offer this week, and the stagehands are expected to show up for work.

The new rules involve the number of stagehands working Broadway shows and how long they work. New wage proposals are not being imposed, a league statement said.

Union representatives have said the stagehands would continue showing up for work, but as the all-important holiday season approached this would be increasingly less likely.

A strike would shutter most, but not all Broadway theaters, one noteworthy exception being the Hilton where the widely anticipated Mel Brooks musical "Young Frankenstein" is in previews ahead of a November opening.

The last time Broadway went dark over labor issues was in 2003 when musicians staged a four-day walkout.

Union representatives last week declined Mayor Michael Bloomberg's offer to mediate in the dispute.

Reuters