Steve On Broadway (SOB)

Still No Lockout

Still No Lockout

With many of my dear readers still nervous as to whether their shows will go on -- due to the threats over a lockout of Local One of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (I.A.T.S.E.) by the League of American Theaters and Producers -- the word is that, well, who knows.

But Joe Dziemianowicz and Corky Siemaszko in New York's Daily News quote Charlotte St. Martin of the League saying, "If you have tickets for shows this weekend, you should go about your plans...The expectation is that shows will go on."

Beyond that, in this morning's New York Post, Michael Riedel deftly lays out the facts as he knows them, including:

The producers are backtracking as fast they can from the word "lockout," which, they've come to realize, makes them look like the bad guys. It's going to be hard for the producers to win a p.r. war if they're the ones shutting down Broadway.

and

The strategy that now seems to be emerging is that the producers may toss the ball back at the stagehands by "imposing" their final offer on them. So far, all the talk about "final offers" has been just that - talk.

As one source says, "You don't like this final offer? How about this one?"

and

The stagehands have a tricky situation of their own to deal with. Variety reported a "rumor" yesterday that Tom Short, head of the stagehands nationwide, has told theater owners he won't authorize the Broadway stagehands to go on strike.

Another rumor going around is that Short has seen and approves of the producers' offer to the stagehands.

That last comment may explain why Bloomberg was reporting late last week that the union had given in on a key point.

At any rate, it looks like the shows will still go on this weekend. But my best advice for anything beyond that is to keep your ear to the ground.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Related Stories:
No Lockout Tonight (October 11, 2007)
Lockout Likely (October 10, 2007)
Is This The One For One? (October 9, 2007)
Stagehands' Union Concedes Key Point (October 5, 2007)
Stagehands Talks To Continue This Afternoon (October 5, 2007)
No Monday Lockout (September 29, 2007)
Before The Holidays Strike? (September 25, 2007)
Thanks, Mel! (July 6, 2007)

Labels: International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, League of American Theatres and Producers, Local One, Lockout

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Friday, October 12, 2007