For the third time this week, picketers from the Stage Employees Union are protesting outside of the Manchester Civic Center. NHPR?s Dan Gorenstein reports.
For the third time this week, picketers from the Stage Employees Union are protesting outside of the Manchester Civic Center. NHPR?s Dan Gorenstein reports.
When a big show like Aerosmith or Bob Dylan has come to Manchester, members of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 195 have been gathering outside the Verizon Wireless Center, and not because they want tickets.
The union members claim the stage labor company, Capitol Productions, is paying substandard wages and no benefits.
2:55 my wages are fair. It?s like anywhere, you start at a certain rate, and when I see progress I can raise salaries, and everybody is happy.
That?s Gary Crane, head of Capitol Productions. His company manages stages throughout the region including Manchester?s Riverfest. So far, he says, his clients are satisfied.
5:47 all the promoters and facilities are more than pleased with my workmanship.
How Crane got the gig is an interesting story. Initially, the city of Manchester hired the management company SMG to run the civic center. But SMG turned around and hired Intercept Management, or IMC, to solicit bids for stage labor. Capitol Productions got the contract. Which surprised Local 195 business manager Neil Gustafson because his union is familiar with SMG.
:30 I was attempting to negotiate with the company that was hired by Manchester b/c this company has contracts with my union all over the country.
And regionally too. SMG manages arenas in Albany, NY, Reddening, PA, and Worster, MA. And they are all union shops. Here in Manchester, Capitol Productions got the contract because they says Gustafson, the company pays 20-40% less than union shops.
Although he declined to comment on the exact number, Crane admits his wages are different than the union pay scale. But says his people aren?t complaining.
6:39 I can supply you with more work. You?ve got to look at volume, and I?ve got quite a few different places.
The union?s Gustafson says workers have a right, not only to be paid an area wage, but to receive benefits. Something those who work at the civic center aren?t getting.
8:00 he struck a low ball deal, b/c he struck that deal he can not afford to pay benefits. If you go to any of the other facilities run by SMG, not only are they earning a higher salary, they are also getting benefits. This is one of our problems with this situation.
The international union of stage employees says it?s attempting to set up a meeting with SMG and IMC. So far, SMG hasn?t contacted the union. But SMG officials told the Manchester Union Leader they would pay what is necessary to get quality labor. Neither SMG nor IMC returned phone calls for this story. For NHPR News, I?m DG
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