Joyce Management Fails to Agree to Stagehands' Request for Voluntary Recognition; Local One IATSE Files NLRB Petition for Federally Supervised Election

Local One of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) is today (September 14) filing a petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) requesting an NLRB supervised election of the Joyce Theater stagehands to certify Local One as their collective bargaining agent.

Local One determined to petition the NLRB after the Joyce Theater Foundation failed to honor its commitment to respond to the to the local's August 14 request for voluntary recognition, which the local made after a large majority of Joyce stagehands signed authorization cards empowering Local One to act as the stagehands' bargaining agent.

In that August 14 letter, Local One had originally set an August 26 deadline for management to agree to verify Local One's majority status through a neutral, third party who would review the signed authorization cards. Joyce management had promised to Local One President James J. Claffey, Jr. that it would respond to the union, but asked for an additional time to formulate a response. Mr. Claffey granted that extension.

It has now been one month since the union made its initial request and there is still no official response.

Voluntary recognition would have allowed both Local One and the Joyce Theater Foundation to avoid the hefty expenses associated with NLRB election procedures. The union expects a hearing before the NLRB before the end of September and an election before Thanksgiving.

"Sadly, the Joyce Theater Foundation's lack of response to the request by its employees to be represented by Local One is not only disrespectful to its employees, but it has us entering the costly and time-consuming legal process that will undoubtedly lead to the same result: the Joyce Theater Foundation sitting down to negotiate with Local One for a fair and just contract for its stage technicians," said Mr. Claffey. "Local One today (September 14) followed through on its obligation to the Joyce Theatre stagehands to pursue a swift election."

NLRB supervised balloting is familiar territory for stagehands requesting representation at smaller venues in New York City. Last year, after a long, litigious and costly process, stagehands at Lehman College Center for the Performing Arts voted 22 to 0 to be represented by Local One. Those stagehands now work under a contract fair to both labor and management.

According to the Joyce Theater Foundation IRS Form 990 for fiscal year 2006 (filed in 2008 and the most recent available), the Joyce Theater Foundation had total revenue of $8,828,907, spent $182,400 on public and government relations services, and paid salary and benefits to the two highest compensated employees of $377, 549.

For 123 years, Local One < www.iatselocalone.org> has been the premiere stagecraft 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.