Sunday, February 21, 2010
Your crew are not non-profit corporations.
Backstage at BackstageJobs.com: "Those of you that follow my Twitter feed know I have been a bit testy lately due to a company being very late with their paychecks. Crew members finally received paychecks from them just over seven weeks after the job. This is not the first time this or other companies have been late in paying crew members. So I offer this reminder to theatres and companies out there"
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7 comments:
The fact that the timely paying of crew employees is a real and persistent issue is an incredibly worrisome one. While I guess some people might view the job of a crew member to be "fascinating", "exciting", or god for bid "romantic" it is a somewhat crappy paying job that those that do it tend to live from paycheck to paycheck. Hell, depending on where and how often that means you can work, you can be fully employed as a crew member and still qualify for unemployment. The idea that a company can not pay it's employees in at least a timely method just makes the lives of their crew members even harder to live since they no longer know exactly when they'll have the money they need to live with.
This author brings up a good point. Too often, people are focusing on the rates for stage hands that they forget to ask when they will actually get their money. I have had the good fortune of only being in this situation once where I had to wait a long time for a check. It was not fun. I think accounts payable departments need to really be on top of their game in order to run a good business. As soon as people stop getting paid (labor, vendors), the ball stops rolling. This is an important business lesson that should be followed.
It is very unsettling to find out about theatre companies who do not pay their crew for a very long time. I think that this happens in many different businesses, not just theatre. It is not fair that people should have to wait for over 2 weeks for their pay that they need in order to live. I think that there should be something that an employee can legally do if they aren't paid by a company in a timely manner, because it causes a lot of stress when you aren't paid in a timely manner.
This is definitely an issue I've run into before, especially when I'm hired for just a single show by folks who aren't really about production (schools, cultural organizations, etc.) It seems to me that it would be a good candidate for worker rights' legislation. I know that in PA, if our landlord doesn't give us our deposit back within a month of the end of our lease, he's required to pay double. Could there not be a similar law limiting abuse of workers? I know what it feels like to be waiting for a check so you can put gas in your car and get to the next gig - some employers seem to not understand, or not respect, this situation.
This article is very bothersome. I had not heard of this happening and I agree with him it is a big problem. It is scary to imagine this happening in three years when I am out in the business. I agree with Allegra, it is stressful but it is even worse when you are out of your parents house, have graduated from college and then have all of your own bills and rent to pay. It is a scary thing.
We all want to go out in the business and be instantly successful and for some that will happen but for most it won't. There will be a lot of struggle and we all know this coming into it. I just hope that I don't end up in one of those situations where I'm not paid for months.
This article was a wake up to reality.
This is a big issue. Not paying people within a reasonable time frame is ridiculous. We should ask the theaters to be required to reserve tickets to be paid weeks after the performance for which they were valid. I understand if it takes 2-3 weeks. There is a lot of paperwork, particularly if the employee is new. While being paid on time is a big issue for everyone, it is a particularly important one for those who work in an industry where many live from paycheck to paycheck. When someone is counting on you to pay their rent, the theater should step up. In addition, requiring people to fill out paperwork means that you should consult the paperwork, not just file it away.
I think the HR department here could learn a lot from reading this article. I'm hearing from our overhire labor that they still havent been paid for the work they did months ago. In fact, i've been waiting for reimbursements for purchases from over a year ago (not from Drama, thankfully). I've just accepted that I won't be seeing that money anytime. Ever.
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