... while AEA does not like them of course - AEA has no legal way to stop or impede them. There was a brief period when SDC was trying to stop members from recreating their Broadway work for non AEA tours - but again, their was no legal way to impose this restraint.
Non Equity tours do almost universally carry some AFM musicians, and all stage hands do have to be IATSE.
That's because all touring venues have contracts with AFM and IATSE (and AGMA usually) - but not with AEA, USA, or SDC. They are not producing houses, so they have no reason to sign agreements with these other unions. While big concert acts and orchestras play these venues regularly, all unionized -(although I'll be there are some non AFM rock bands) - actors are not protected by AEA on the road because these venues are not signatories to any AEA agreement. If they did sign, they then would, as they feel, double the cost of Broadway tours that come in - which would not be in their interests.
This is an area (the road) in which it is very hard to see how AEA could change the landscape. |
