Category Archives: Representation

Stage Alliance ‘B Rate’ Is No More!

With the recent wage dispute concluded and subsequent settlement checks mailed out, Stage Alliance Inc. contacted IATSE Local 205 with a new wage proposal for consideration:

“Stage Alliance proposes paying out $17.25 on all stagehand wages at Long Center and UT Texas Performing Arts for the remainder of this CBA with Local 205. This would eliminate the B wage completely, provided that Local 205 agrees to freeze the wage increase for stagehand positions only on LCPA and TPA events; scheduled to take effect 10/1/2016.  Stage Alliance proposes NO other changes to the wage addendum set for October 1st until the end of the current CBA.”

On September 28th 2016, IATSE Local 205 members voted to accept this proposal. On October 1, 2016 all rated positions with the exception of ‘stagehands’, will receive the scheduled 1% pay increase. However, stagehands will now receive $17.25 for all work at Long Center’s Dell Hall and all venues of Texas Performing Arts. Eliminating the B stagehand wage rate is something Local 205 has pushed for during the last two contract negotiations, so we are very happy to finally see it gone! This change will remain in effect until the current contract expires on September 30, 2017.

Congratulations on the new positions!

IATSE Local 205 congratulates Kevin Squires on obtaining the position of House Carpenter at the Paramount Theatre, and Ryan Graham, on obtaining the position of House AV Technician at the Long Center.  We look forward to representing you and hope you will consider joining our union!

Paramount Theatre

Long Center

Stage Alliance Pay It Right!

Union vs. Stage Alliance Wage Dispute Arbitration RESULT!

Dear Stage Alliance Employees:

I am pleased to announce that IATSE Local 205 won it’s grievance against Stage Alliance in regard to the dispute over Long Center wages. Additionally, the arbitrator granted the remedies we were seeking. The details are as follows:

Although the arbitrator ruled that Stage Alliance did not fail to bargain with the Union and dismissed our unfair labor practice charge, the arbitrator also ruled that Stage Alliance did violate the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) when it unilaterally altered the show classification system at the Long Center. Furthermore, the arbitrator has ordered Stage Alliance to reinstate the show classification system for the life of the CBA as it was prior to the change made in September 2015. In addition, Stage Alliance shall “make whole” (pay the missing wages and health and annuity benefits) all of the stagehands who were not paid the appropriate Class A wage rate for shows that they worked at the Long Center since September 10, 2015.

Per the arbitrator’s ruling, the Union will prepare a list of affected shows, as already detailed in Stage Alliance’s arbitration announcement. 

This positive result for Stage Alliance employees is the result of the hard work that Local 205 puts in to negotiating and enforcing our agreements. We could have gone to mediation or taken the compromise that was offered by Stage Alliance, but we listened when employees told us that they did not want to give up the wages that they were entitled to.

In closing, I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who showed solidarity on this issue. This win is great news for our Local and for Stage Alliance employees alike. We are here to serve Austin’s stage employees by negotiating agreements with fair wages and conditions, and then by protecting those agreements. This is why IATSE Local 205 exists!

In Solidarity,
President Magee

Stage Alliance Pay It Right!

Stage Alliance Inc. Update

Attention all Stage Alliance Inc. Employees.  Below is an update on the Stage Alliance Inc. wage dispute arbitration proceedings.  Additionally we’ve created a handy page in the news section to catch all the Stage Alliance Inc. updates moving forward.

The arbitration hearing between Stage Alliance and IATSE Local 205 took place on July 7, 2016. The arbitrator will issue her ruling within 30 days of the hearing date.

The hearing was in connection with Local 205’s grievance regarding the reduction of A rate shows and the expansion of B rate shows at the Long Center for Performing Arts initiated in September 2015.

Further to President Magee’s letter posted previously, please note that it has been determined that Frank Warren was a B rate show and is therefore not in dispute. Additionally, Local 205 is awaiting payroll information regarding Legend of Zelda and Mandy Patinkin to determine whether these shows will be included in the grievance.

(via Local 205 President, Rachel Magee)

Stage Alliance Pay It Right!

Stage Alliance Inc. Arbitration to Proceed July 7th

Dear Stage Alliance Employees:

I am writing to update you on the ongoing dispute over stagehand wages at the Long Center for Performing Arts between IATSE Local 205 and Stage Alliance, Inc. An arbitration hearing will take place July 7-8, 2016 to rule on this dispute. The following details the events thus far.

Since 2010, Stage Alliance has applied an A or B rate to shows performed at the Long Center. The A rate secured a wage of $17.00 p.h. and was typically applied to shows with ticket sales over a determined seating capacity. The B rate secured a wage of $15.75 p.h. It was applied to maintenance calls and shows that did not mean the A rate criteria. Each year, stagehands worked substantially more A rate hours than B rate hours.

In 2014, the Union secured our first multi-year Agreement with Stage Alliance and our first wage increase in four years; a 25 cent increase on both the A and B rates increasing them to $17.25 p.h. and $16.00 p.h. respectively. However, in September 2015, Stage Alliance informed Local 205 that due to the signing of a new contract between Stage Alliance and the Long Center, the classification system was to change. Effective immediately, all shows would now be classified as B rate with the A rate only applying to Broadway shows, of which the Long Center has perhaps two per year. Or, the we could accept an offer of one flat rate for all shows performed on the Dell Stage of $16.60 p.h. As this is not what the Union had bargained for, and with $16.60 p.h. being far below our area standard for stagehand wages, we sought legal counsel and filed a grievance against Stage Alliance disputing the wage cut, and an unfair labor practice charge for not providing Union requested information and for making a unilateral change without first bargaining with the Union.

Since my initial letter notifying you of this wage cut, there have been several meetings with Stage Alliance to try and resolve the dispute. During which time, it was revealed that the new contract between Stage Alliance and the Long Center, signed September 2015, no longer has A and B rates as originally presented to the Union. Rather, it has one mid point rate for all work on the Dell stage. As such, Stage Alliance has maintained it’s position that stagehands be paid one flat rate of $16.60 p.h. for all work performed on the Dell Stage. Local 205 has maintained the position that our Agreement, which was negotiated on the basis of past practice of the application of the A and B wage rates and the assurance that no future changes were anticipated, be honored. When a dispute remains unresolved, the grievance moves to arbitration. Arbitration is expensive. Stage Alliance asked if the Union would consider a cheaper, half day mediation prior to arbitration. Mediations are used to find solutions through compromise. A date was set last March for a mediation hearing and the Union held several meetings with Stage Alliance employees to determine what compromise, if any, stagehands would be willing to accept. Through these meetings, it became apparent that compromise was not palatable to the majority of affected stagehands and that what we all really want is for our wages to be reinstated as they were prior to September 2015. As such, mediation was put to one side and a date was set for arbitration.

In May 2016, National Labor Relations Board reviewed our unfair labor practice charge. The board agent ruled against the union’s charge regarding withheld information. Prior to the ULP hearing, Stage Alliance had provided the requested information, namely a copy of the contract between Stage Alliance and the Long Center. The part regarding the failure to bargain is being deferred to the arbitration hearing.

Below is list of what the union believes to be misclassified Long Center shows. If you worked as a stagehand on one of these shows, you were paid $1.25 less per hour than we believe you should have been, and not only were your wages reduced, but so were your health and annuity benefits, which are 8% and 4% respectively of your gross wages. To date, the shows in dispute are:

Frank Warren, Ballet Folklorico, MexNet Dinner, Screwtape Letters, UB40, Bollywood Masala, Neil Gaiman, Vietnamese Live, Hook movie, Les Ballets Trockadero, ASO Pops, Arlo Guthrie Peking Acrobats, Sweet Honey In the Rock, Vocalosity, Carol Burnett, Shen Yun, Star Trek Ultimate Voyage, Black Violin, Buick GMC Dealer Meeting, Legend of Zelda, and Mandy Patinkin.

The arbitration hearing will take place on July 7-8, 2016. At this hearing, both parties will argue their case in front of the arbitrator. Based on the arguments presented, the arbitrator will make a ruling on the dispute. The arbitrator’s ruling will be final and binding. Local 205 will be arguing for our wages to be reinstated until the expiration of our current Agreement in 2017. Additionally, our grievance asks for all affected stagehands to be made whole, meaning that hands be compensated for their loss in income since September 2015. There is no guarantee we will win this grievance, but despite the financial cost to the Local, we feel that we must do everything we can to get our wages back.

In Solidarity,

Rachel Magee,
IATSE Local 205 President.

Pay it Right! (Informational Meetup Monday!)

Wage Cut for Stage Alliance Hands!

Find out how and why your wages were cut (and what your Union is doing about it!) by attending the Stage Alliance employees meeting at:

3PM on Monday 29 February, 2016 at TX AFL-CIO auditorium,
11th and Lavaca, 78701. (Metered street parking only!)

Can’t attend? Sign up here to receive information electronically,http://iatse205.org/signup

Stage Alliance Rate Card 2015

Stage Alliance Rate Card 2015

Stage Alliance Employee Meeting Today!

Reminder notice to all Stage Alliance Employees:

Remember, you are a member of the bargaining unit that Local 205 represents!!
IATSE Local 205 is hosting an SA employee meeting this Monday (today):

February 15 at 6:00 pm
IBEW Local Union 520
4818 E. Ben White Blvd Suite #300
Austin, TX 78741

Please check your email for further details about the subject, or show up and find out!

Search for a message from “IA205 Info” as the sender, may have ended up in your junk mail as this was the first occasion to contact the entire bargaining unit via email.

If you can’t attend, please sign up for the mailing list so that we can keep you informed!
http://iatse205.org/signup