A little back story. The venue I am stage manager at was unionized back in the early 2000's. I was living with one of the main instigators for the union move at the time. Though I was not a part of their stage hand crew, I was a PA and runner at the venue. I sat around with all of those stage hands in our living room. I must've been the biggest cheerleader, even though a couple pointed out (even though we tried to get it included) that my position was not part of the deal.
"I don't care. They've fucked me for the last few years too. At least you guys will be taken care of."
I had little idea that years later, I would be the stage manager of the very same crew.
Fast forward to two nights ago:
The head sound guy at the venue around the corner sent me a text in the middle of the show two nights ago:
"Do you have a minute to talk?"
I told him sure. He was in our back alley in 5 minutes and I met him to ask him if everything was okay.
Looking around nervously, in a hushed voice, he says, "We want to know how you like dealing with your Union crew?".
Me: "Are you kidding me? These people are my family. I love working with them. I wish this country had exponentially more people in Unions. It's important to me that they are taken care of...and if they never unionized...they'd still be making the same wages from 7 years ago."
Him: "Good. That's great to hear. We wanted your opinion because we have a meeting tomorrow with the Union on our final decision to Unionize. We wanted to know what you think we should do?"
Me: "Why are you even hesitating? Your theater, like ours, is owned by a massive corporation, and they haven't given you guys raises in years? Fuck them. Unionize. Tell the Union 'absolutely' tomorrow."
Him: "Thanks, man. Have a good show."
I go back into my venue. He goes back to his.
After about 10 minutes, positive text messages start coming in from their crew (yes...I'm friends with all of their crew as well). These guys and gals are pumped, and I'm pumped for them.
I wonder what their management will say if they ever found out they talked to me the night before the big decision and I was a vehement, "abso-fucking-lutely"? Quite frankly if anybody in our city and in our industry were to read this post, it would take them ten seconds to figure out who I am. It would probably spell trouble for me as I am not lucky enough to be a Union member. But I just don't fucking care because if we don't start building back up our Union membership in this country, it may be the death of us all.
My first good deed of the New Year. Now if I could only figure out a way to Unionize my position.
Fuck these greedy, corporate, cocksuckers!
Time to get your Union on, America!