Local One Includes Lehman College Performing Arts Center Under Jurisdiction

Local One of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Stagehands has been certified by the National Labor Relations Board as the bargaining agent for the stagehands of the Lehman College Center for the Performing Arts in The Bronx, effectively bringing the Lehman College Center for the Performing Arts under the jurisdiction of the 122-year-old union.

In NLRB supervised balloting that ended August 12, the Lehman College Center for the Performing Arts stagehands 22 to 0 voted to be represented in collective bargaining by Local One.

The 3000-member Local One represents stagehands in similar venues in the CUNY system, such as the Kaye Playhouse and Brooklyn College.  The union hopes to begin collection bargaining in the next few weeks.

"This was a long, costly and litigious process for the Lehman College Center for the Performing Arts before it finally faced the inevitable," said James J. Claffey, Jr., President of Local One.  "Local One anticipates a fair and just working agreement between the union and the  Lehman College Center for the Performing Arts that will provide a competitive wage and, for the first time health and pension benefits for the stagehands."

"We applaud the NLRB, which, through a number of administrative actions and legal decisions, protected the rights of the Lehman College Center for the Performing Arts stagehands to unionize, Mr.  Claffey added.  "Local One also applauds one of its own, Local One Organizer Daniel Gilloon, who worked tirelessly to see that these stagehands were not deprived of their right to join a union."

Lehman College Center for the Performing Arts stagehands and union officers at the NLRB August 12 moments after winning election 22 to 0.

For 122 years, Local One www.iatselocalone.org has been the premiere stagehand union of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees representing 3,000 property persons, stage and studio electricians, set carpenters, sound designers, audio technicians, moving-light operators, riggers and special effects people in New York.