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Bus & Truck Touring Negotiations: Employers Threaten to Cancel Upcoming Season, Refuse To Counter Union Proposals

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UPDATE: A tentative agreement was reached on Monday, June 19. Eligible members will vote on whether to ratify the starting the week of July 3. More specific details regarding the Bus and Truck (aka the non-league touring agreement) will be forthcoming.

NEW YORK, NY — The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) has been negotiating the Bus and Truck Touring Agreement with Big League Productions Inc., NETworks Presentations LLC, Crossroads Live North America, LLC (f/k/a Troika Entertainment, LLC) and Work Light Productions, LLC. Despite early progress and months of negotiations, the employers have repeatedly threatened to cancel the upcoming fall season if the union does not capitulate to unreasonable demands. Now, these employers refuse to counter the union’s proposals, bringing negotiations to a screeching halt even though several weeks remain before the current contract is set to expire.

The workers represented under this agreement regularly face grueling working conditions on the road. They provide top-tier entertainment across America, and their commitment to their crafts should be reflected by the wages and conditions they deserve. Regrettably, workers’ sacrifices and commitments are not recognized in this way. These negotiations must address the workers’ core priorities in order for the members to ratify a new contract. The workers have made it abundantly clear from the beginning — this contract must achieve better wages, per diem, and single occupancy lodging to ensure these devoted workers can rest and recover between stops.

Rather than acknowledging the intensity of life on the road and valuing the workers who deliver extraordinary theatrical productions to audiences nationwide, these employers have repeatedly issued comments threatening the upcoming touring season. This stance illustrates a disconcerting focus on profit margins over a commitment to the art of theater. IATSE strongly condemns these thinly-veiled threats and remains dedicated to protecting and promoting the rights of our workers, and protecting the cultural institution that is touring theater.

Despite these challenges, IATSE remains steadfastly committed to achieving a fair and equitable agreement before June 30, 2023. We will continue to urge these employers to consider our requests at the negotiating table, and work collaboratively towards an agreement that prioritizes the well-being of the dedicated workers they employ and the entertainment of enthusiastic audiences around the country.

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The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees or IATSE (full name: International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts of the United States, Its Territories and Canada), is a labor union representing over 170,000 technicians, artisans and craftspersons in the entertainment industry, including live events, motion picture and television production, broadcast, and trade shows in the United States and Canada.

For more information please contact:
General: comms@iatse.net
Press: press@iatse.net

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