Press release March 11, 2021

 On March 11th, 2020, the 21 Stagehands who work at College Street Music Hall voted unanimously in an NLRB-conducted election to be represented by IATSE Local 74.

UPDATE: The management of the facility is still refusing to participate in our IATSE health care and retirement plans.  Management continues to reject contract terms providing for a standard hourly rate. Their position on healthcare is that the Stagehands should try to get medical insurance by finding work at other IATSE-covered venues so that College Street Music Hall will not have to incur the expense. As we stand outside College Street Music Hall, we have invited the Mayor of New Haven, Justin Elicker, Governor Ned Lamont, Senator Blumenthal, and Representative Rosa DeLauro from the 3rd District to join us. We are thankful for support from the Western CT AFL CIO and their team led by Molly Norris; UNITE HERE Local 33 and Jess Corbet, CWA Local 1298, Sunrise New Haven, New Haven Rising and IATSE Local 84, Local One and Local 632. We would also like to thank Alder Kimberly Edwards of the 19th Ward; who is a CWA member as well. Local 74 hopes that the New Haven Center for the Performing Arts (CSMH) will reach out to us to discuss the needs of their workforce with regards to Healthcare, Retirement, and an hourly rate.

After many months of negotiations, the Local 74 Stagehands are still waiting for management to offer a fair contract. They work long hours and perform highly skilled jobs without any health care, retirement benefits or even a standard hourly wage rate. To anyone who has attended a show at this venue and to all those who believe that workers should be provided living wages and benefits, please support this cause. Tweet/FB/Post/Communicate to College Street Music Hall they must take care of its employees with proper working conditions and compensation. IATSE Local 74 will be finishing our picketing tomorrow outside the facility at 238 College Street in New Haven from 9am to 5pm. We are planning future informational picketing at this site in the upcoming weeks.

Contact:

Gardner R. Friscia

IATSE Local 74 President

914-420-4359

President@IATSE74.org