I am all for improving the professional lives and compensation for theater workers. Unionizing a workforce of a company when most of the working capital does not come from what the theater sells, but from grants and foundations, isn't feasible. A corporation, a small bookstore even a restaurant has a self-producing and sustaining income stream, which we don't. And we have no reliable mandatory state funding like in Germany or Great Britain. There should be industry minimums that a board should have to agree to before agreeing to help support a theater. Living Wage should be part of the Mission/Vision of every theater, not an aspirational after thought, and should be posted with the rest of their Mission/Vision statement. If we can't pay a living wage, then there is something wrong with that theater's strategic plan; and if the theater can't afford that minimum, then it should not be included in a listing of professional theaters.
I am all for improving the professional lives and compensation for theater workers. Unionizing a workforce of a company when most of the working capital does not come from what the theater sells, but from grants and foundations, isn't feasible. A corporation, a small bookstore even a restaurant has a self-producing and sustaining income stream, which we don't. And we have no reliable mandatory state funding like in Germany or Great Britain. There should be industry minimums that a board should have to agree to before agreeing to help support a theater. Living Wage should be part of the Mission/Vision of every theater, not an aspirational after thought, and should be posted with the rest of their Mission/Vision statement. If we can't pay a living wage, then there is something wrong with that theater's strategic plan; and if the theater can't afford that minimum, then it should not be included in a listing of professional theaters.