One must wonder if the Bard of Avon intended this…
via the Ashland Daily Tidings:
Technical and wardrobe workers and some other employees at Oregon Shakespeare Festival will vote June 10 on whether to organize with IATSE, a large theater union, National Labor Relations Board ruled Friday.
The ruling said almost half the production staff would be in the voting unit. Seeking to prevail in the election, the union had asked for a smaller number, and OSF for a larger number. The voting unit includes sound and lighting technicians, master electricians, stagehands, video workers, wardrobe workers, wig-hair masters and maintenance, part- or full-time, if they’ve worked more than 15 days in the past year.
OSF spokeswoman Amy Richard said the Festival doesn’t agree with the decision and doesn’t believe unionizing is in the interest of employees or the Festival. To date, such show crew workers have simply been paid a scale of wages and benefits set in the budgeting process of the Festival, with no negotiation, said Richard.
The Festival does not oppose unions, she said, and has two, Equity for actors, and the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.
Read the rest here.