Stage Employees Settle at Strathmore & Ford's Theatre

Local stage employees scored a double-play earlier this month, settling contracts at both the Strathmore arts center in Bethesda and Ford's Theatre in the District, reports Chuck Clay, President of IATSE Local 22, which represents the workers. "The main issue at Strathmore was the need for additional staff because of a steady increase in work," Clay tells UNION CITY. Under the new contract, Strathmore will be adding several new stage employee positions, and workers also won a 20% increase in wages and benefits over the course of the 5-year contract, along with paid vacation. While Strathmore negotiations were "very amicable," Clay says they were "somewhat contentious" at Ford's Theatre, where new management is taking over the historic theater. After six months of negotiations - during which the union and management forged "a fair and cooperative relationship" - a 4-year contract agreement was reached that guarantees that "Ford's will be a union theater when it re-opens in October, 2008," says Clay. Above photo by Jefferson Todd