Klarinet Archive - Posting 000355.txt from 2003/02

From: CBA <clarinet10001@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Save Live Broadway
Date: Tue, 11 Feb 2003 12:08:43 -0500

Steve,

I had $22 (AFTER tax) taken out of a $173 check, which BEFORE
tax would be over $29 taken out. That was almost 18% of my
check.

I do agree the union has benefits. I DON'T agree with the
union's tactics to get shows closed for NOT using union labor. I
think that should be the show's prerogative on union or not
union. Most houses on Broadway are strictly union houses, so I
don't understand how an off-Broadway non-union show would be a
threat, since it would HAVE to go union to move to a Broadway
house anyway. The canned music, in the eyes of an accountant
looks pretty good to keep the cost of the show down and make it
profitable.

I have been part of groups that have been in situations like you
mentioned about where you have to "quit or be fired." I was
involved in one group standing up and saying no, we will not
work overtime without pay, and not work over a lengthy amount of
time without breaks. I was in another group where the church ran
out of money, and we had a choice to play badly, as we didn't
have enough time allotted, or take an extra 2 hour rehearsal to
put the music together into a cohesive entity. We chose the
extra 2 hours for pride's sake, since we were given very little
time with the vocalists in the rehearsal schedule, and 90% of
them were volunteer with 10% being the paid soloists.

The union champions situations where you have to work long hours
for no pay or no benefits, and I laud them for it. I do think
unions have become too powerful for the common good at this
point though, and I would welcome a reduction of their power
over theater shows in particular, to allow more shows to be able
to be produced, and the cost to be less prohibitive for the
general population to see *A* show (not necessarily Broadway,
but at least off-Broadway in New York.) If someone only gets $50
pay for a show that is produced non-union off-Broadway, that's
$50 more than they had before. If the show doesn't run because
of exorbitant rates induced from union work, the show doesn't
play at all, and people don't work. Art isn't produced. Then all
we have left are commercially produced crap like Phantom of the
Opera to see. No money is no food, and is why most of these
people are working at McDonalds after spending $100,000+ on
becoming an accomplished artist.

I have a VERY different feeling about unions in symphony
orchestras, opera companies, and ballet. I am a BIG fan for the
unions keeping symphony orchestra wages and benefits workable in
a troubled economy. I believe Broadway is a much different venue
for the unions than the troubled symphony orchestras, and levy
power in an unprofessional manner in theater in general. I am
MUCH more interested in paying $100 for a ticket to hear an
ensemble of 200 than I am to pay $100 to see 5 people on stage
and 15 instrumentalists in a pit orchestra.

Practice? Do I have to again too? OK...

Kelly Abraham
Woodwinds - New York City

--- Steve Hartman <sdh902@-----.net> wrote:
> Kelly:
>
> I'm not sure I understand your point. Are you saying that
> without Union representation there would
> be more work AND most musicians would be making a better
> living than they are now? What 20% are you
> talking about? Work dues in New York are only 3%. It's much
> cheaper for a producer to pay a
> musician 10% more as an independent contractor than to pay
> Union scale: they don't have to pay
> pension or health benefits or payroll taxes. Of course, then
> the musician has to pay for those
> things (or not - hey, it's a free country) out of his/her own
> pocket.
> Imagine a Broadway show without the Union: The Producer's
> son-in-law, who happens to play the
> drums, is making $5000 dollars a week plus a share of the
> profits while the second violinist is
> getting $400 a week plus no benefits. What Juilliard-trained
> violinist wouldn't jump at the chance
> to make $50? And if there's a problem with working conditions
> you have two choices: quit or be
> fired.
>
> Just my two cents. I've got to go practice the clarinet.
>
> Steve Hartman
> NYC

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