Way to go girl, I can't think of a better person for the job. The dancers in this union are now in very good hands. Well done!!!

Both the Boston Herald, Talent, choreography bolster ‘The Music Man’ at Colonial, and the Boston Globe, 'Music Man' tour spurs debate over union productions, have articles discussing the non-Equity production of "Music Man" that is coming to Boston soon.

Equity, AGMA Eye Merger
Unions Resolve B'way 'Crossover' Jurisdiction
By Roger Armbrust for Back Stage


Actors' Equity Association and the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) are discussing the possibilities of a merger, and hope to include the American Guild of Variety Artists (AGVA).

The news came in an announcement that the two unions last week had resolved contentious jurisdictional differences over Broadway "crossover productions" such as "Movin' Out" and "La Boheme."

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Pensions for panto performers
by Sally Bramley for The Stage

Pantomime performers and stage managers will be entitled to receive pension payments from employers for the first time thanks to a long-awaited redraft of the Equity/ Theatrical Management Association Commercial Theatre contract.

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On the first page of this thread, someone told about some situations in which sticking to the letter of union regulations seemed absurd. I've only had one experience working in a union job, which was when I danced in the San Francisco Opera for one season. I remember that at the first rehearsal, the choreographer informed us of one union rule, which was that we were to take a 5-minute break every hour. We decided that it would be much more productive to pool our breaks and have 15 minutes every 3 hours (or maybe it was a 10-minute break/hour and we had 1/2 hour, I don't remember which). Everyone agreed, and our union rep didn't insist that we abide by the letter of the law.

That seems a sensible way of doing things. I'm a firm supporter of unions, but I don't believe in being rigid. Has anyone else been in union jobs where good sense was allowed to prevail?

<small>[ 07 November 2003, 10:14 AM: Message edited by: djb ]</small>

A follow-up article abut the new arrangements in the UK, described in the article one post up:

Equity/TMA pension deal risks jobs, say producers
by Sally Bramley for The Stage

Independent producers have dismissed the new Equity/Theatrical Management Association Commercial Theatre contract as "unrealistic", saying it will raise wage bills by 15% which they would be forced to offset with a substantial increase in ticket prices.

Union officials have said they hope the new agreement will be adopted industry-wide but non-TMA companies warned the introduction of pension payments would lead to their bankruptcy.

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Well, at least the union says they are open to negotiations.

Although I certainly understand that coming up with the money is difficult, I have to say that 15% sure seems low compared to others.

Chorus line rebels seek cancan justice
By Matthew Campbell for The Sunday Times, Paris


TROUBLE has erupted in the glitzy world of Parisian cabaret. The showgirls famed for their long legs and feathered costumes are taking their employers to court for more pay.

The unprecedented revolt of the cancan dancers has thrown the spotlight on difficult working conditions in the bare-breasted chorus lines just as the Lido cabaret on the Champs Elysées unveils a new show called Bonheur, or Happiness.

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Technical Talk
By Howard Bird for The Stage

I doubt that very many practising technicians ever dive under the shoals of current UK legislation into the deep water that is what the European Commission is discussing for the future of our working patterns. There is, perhaps, a belief that our managements, unions and various trade associations are keeping a weather eye out for what will be good and bad for us and for the most part this is true, however this does not mean that we can complacently sit back and ignore that which is not immediately visible.

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Pension laws keep ballet stars on their toes
By Richard Owen for The Times


BALLERINAS threatened yesterday to take to the streets in their tights and tutus in protest at Government plans that would force them to continue performing pliés and pirouettes well into their sixties.

Italian ballet dancers escaped crippling pension reforms eight years ago and were allowed to retire at age 45 for women and 52 for men.

But in July the Italian Parliament passed a law raising the minimum retirement age with effect from 2008, with Silvio Berlusconi, insisting that “because people are living longer, they should work longer”.

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Flyman
From The Stage


Just as the Dome sucked dozens of stage managers and hundreds of technicians to the south east of the capital, the Olympics are likely to do the same in the east of the city between now and 2008. The joy with which Birmingham celebrated the news was an indication of the understanding that the event is going to affect the whole country. Or it might just have been an expression of delight that at least it was going to be a hundred miles away from them.

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