SECURING SAFE WORKING CONDITIONS
A prop rolls off stage into the pit and puts a hole in your priceless violin. Or your chair slides off a riser because there is no guard rail and you break a leg. Or you've worked seven triple-service days in a row and now you have tendonitis.
Working conditions are often more important than wages in union contract negotiations. Rehearsal length, scheduling flexibility, communication of the schedule in advance, availability of music, length of breaks, and availability of parking are all issues that we have brought to the table. In fact, the only issues that cannot be negotiated are items that would be illegal to enforce (discriminatory practices or anything that would violate a state or federal law). Wages, benefits, work schedules, work rules, safety issues, seniority systems, and disciplinary procedures are all mandatory subjects of bargaining. If you have a concern that needs to be brought to the bargaining table, please let us know!