Stagehand contract needs more work
The Wichita City Council showed wisdom on Tuesday when it sent a contract for union stagehands who work at Century II back for further negotiation.
The move will allow for consideration of concerns from not-for-profit theater and music organizations that will be affected by the contract but weren’t consulted until it was complete.
Representatives of Music Theatre Wichita, the Wichita Symphony Orchestra and Music Theatre for Young People said they were asked to look at the agreement and share concerns, but were told no changes would be made.
A representative of the city said it would have been inappropriate to involve the groups in negotiations.
We understand that the groups should not have been present during direct negotiations, but it would have been prudent to go over proposed changes with them before an agreement was voted upon by the union, allowing for further negotiation by the city.
While there is disagreement on this point, the groups feel the agreement would have significant financial effects on them, perhaps even resulting in bankruptcy. Music Theatre Wichita spends about $110,000 a year for union stagehands, said Wayne Bryan, the group’s executive and artistic director. The contract would have pushed those costs up about 65 percent, he said.
Music Theatre Wichita makes heavy use of paid college students and unpaid high school interns, who work under the supervision of union workers, Bryan said. The contract would have required an increase in the number of union workers used, he said.
Groups such as Music Theatre Wichita, Music Theatre for Young People and the Wichita Symphony Orchestra provide cultural vibrancy to our city. They should not be held to the same standards for union labor as money-making productions that make stops at Century II.
We hope the city and the union can better account for that with a revised version of the contract.
This story was originally published June 21, 2017 at 5:04 AM with the headline "Stagehand contract needs more work."