On a cold Sunday afternoon, Veteran's Day November 11, 2007, Local One organized their first press conference to answer questions and give direct-correspondence to members of the media. This opportunity to share their side of the negotiations was held at 1PM in St. Malachy's Catholic Church (239 West 49th Street).
Before the video cameras stood officers of Local One, including President James J. Claffey, union spokesperson Bruce Cohen, Actors' Equity Executive Director John Connolly and Local 802 (musicians' union) representative Bill Dennison; plus Local One officers including Line-Captains, the Negotiating Committee, Business Agents, Financial Security and Treasurer. Behind the podium hung a banner reading: "Theatrical Stage Employees T.P.U. Local One of New York City. Organized April 26, 1886."
In the crowd were union friends and family, wives and children, and several faces of the Broadway community, including musicians and actors. Among them including David Hyde-Pierce, Debra Monk and Karen Ziemba of Curtains, Jeffrey Schecter and Michael Berresse of A Chorus Line, Michele DeJean of Chicago, cast members of Spring Awakening and Legally Blonde) and many more.
Read the Local One pre-Press Conference Announcement here.
The one-hour press conference provided an outlet for Claffey and Local One to explain their position, demands, and plans for progress. Claffey declined to comment on a time-table for the strike; thus leaving no apparent end in sight.
STATEMENTS OF THE CONFERENCE INCLUDE:
President James J. Claffey:
"This is everyone's problem on Broadway… We are fighting for
our families. We have made a point of not bargaining in the press. We believe
that amongst ourselves we can arrive at a deal that's honorable. That time has passed and it's necessary to
defend ourselves in the press because we are being attacked... This did not just happen in the past three days. This is
something that's been brewing for months and something we've tried to avoid."
"We have an $88,000 annual salary. Everyone has to keep in
mind – that's if you're working 52 weeks a year. That's why we need to protect
our job security. If you have a show that runs 3 weeks, we're working 3 weeks.
If the house is dark for 3 months, we're not working there. The number lacks
facts because that's if you're working 52 weeks a year. You can't say an 'average
salary' unless you're working all year.
$150,000 is absolutely not factual… The majority of the people who work
in the theatres for Local One, are getting $67,000. We are out there working."
"We're fighting for the middle-class too. We're trying to keep our wages so we can
afford the same ticket the public has to pay for. I can't apologize for suggesting that a union
is fighting to protect our wages and families and kids. That's exactly what a
union does. We happen to have the bargaining strength and capabilities to do
so."
"As [The League] continues to say 'feather-bedding' and they
keep calling us thieves, we're not going back to the table with that lack of
respect. We have told them that it is not the honorable thing to do. We cannot
negotiate under those circumstances… it's going to enrage my members. We're
going to go back to the table when these people find honor."
"The $5.2 million [strike fund] runs-out when the strike is
over. That's a defense fund for everyone in the theatre community affected by
this labor dispute."
"After 22 or 23 meetings [with The League], we still go back and forth. We
still give and fight; and we keep getting the same things from day one. They
need to make a constructive adjustment….They've been trying to provoke us to
strike for weeks…They wanted public support. They wanted us on the street. Then
they implemented on us without bargaining. There is no honor in that."
"I have spoken to the Mayor several times. He could not be more of a gentlemen. He's
been offering his services but I've respectfully declined. While we absolutely value the mayor and his
intentions we believe that we should make a deal amongst the people. The best thing we could ask the Mayor is to
tell these people that we have a job to do and in 121 years this Local has never
struck Broadway, so there must be a problem."
