Cleaning the greenroom

[Sarah]

If the theatre is demanding that you clean the greenroom, then I would most definitely consider that a violation of the rule. With Rebbe's advice, and under the rule, it is totally within your rights to ask the theatre to create a separate-from-your-AEA-contract and then you could receive a weekly sum for cleaning. Unless it's not about the money and it's about establishing the correct precedent.

[Amy877]

Justin would NOT be within his rights to ask the theatre to create a separate-from-AEA-contract and then receive a weekly sum for cleaning.  As a union member in a union house on a union contract, AEA has jursdition over ALL Justin's employment at that theatre, and janitorial/custodial work is prohibited.  Period. 

When an SM takes on approved additional duties, then yes, Equity requires a separate-from-Equity contract, and also a copy of that contract.  To take on a PROHIBITED duty, the SM would either not have a separate contract, or not submit the separate contact.  Either puts the SM in violation of the rule (see below) AND going behind Equity's back to hide it.  This would leave the SM vulnerable to punitive action by Equity.

The language for negotiable additional duties and prohibited duties is separate and clear. 

Under LORT "63(H)(7) The following activities are prohibited and a Stage Manager or Assistant Stage Manager shall not accept responsibility for the following:...(d) Doing building maintenance, janitorial, custodial or house management work."

The language for acceptable additional duties:  "Stage Managers and Assistant Stage Managers shall not be required to perform
the following, unless they are contracted and compensated separately from the Equity contract; if a separate, written contract is made, a copy of such contract shall be forwarded to Equity".  Then, each acceptable duty is listed, but janitorial/custodial work is not among them.

[RuthNY]

I clean my green room and coffee area because I like it clean, even though there is a building cleaning staff that comes in early the next morning.  However, cast, crew, and staff alike all know they are supposed to wash their own dishes, without fail.

OK, now let's see a show of hands over this scenario:

A commode overflows in the only backstage Ladies Room at about ten minute call. The Ladies Room floor is flooded with (clean) water. No facilities cleaning staff is present in the building and I have no "interns." House Management is a little busy at the time...

So, who would pick up a mop and just take care of the problem? Who would insist this falls under "janitorial duties," stick to the strict letter of their contract, and not go near it?

For the sake of argument, please assume that asking the particular ladies of this cast to use the Men's Room or holding the curtain are NOT options, and that you would never ask your assistant to do something you won't do yourself.

Feel free to be as "hard-line" as you wish, as long as you are honest about what you would actually DO to solve the problem, when your cast, in costume, needs to use this facility right away

(For the record, I mopped up the water, put a sign on the broken commode, called the building engineers to come fix the problem, called "five," and went up to the booth.)

Hands Up, please!

(An addendum for clarity:  No one asked me to mop, or told me I had to mop.)

<snip>
ALL Justin's employment at that theatre, and janitorial/custodial work is prohibited.  Period. 
<snip>
Under LORT "63(H)(7) The following activities are prohibited and a Stage Manager or Assistant Stage Manager shall not accept responsibility for the following:...(d) Doing building maintenance, janitorial, custodial or house management work."

[MatthewShiner]

Ruth - I would mop it up.  God knows I have mopped it up, even when it was not clean.

But, that is who I am.

To be fare, I would also make sure the green room was clean - either with my staff or myself.

In the end, I'd do it because it needs to be done.

The big thing in stage management is knowing where to draw the lines.  As a group of people, stage managers, we are by nature VERY self-sacrificing.  We put in long hours, we come in early, we stay late, we often do it without billing for overtime.  It's part of our programming - I don't know if it comes from being a stage manager, or those with that programming are the ones called to Stage Management.  (It is a calling.)

But everyone has to figure out what they are willing to do ABOVE AND BEYOND the contract.  I don't think AEA Police would come sweeping in if you cleaned the green room.  But there is a valid point that for every stage manager who does do extra duties asked by management, makes it harder for the next stage manager down the line.

Ruth's example is an emergency situation - that's one thing.  But making it part of our daily job?   If Ruth was asked to deal with all plumbing issues at the theatre, it seems like that is really odd - and I am pretty sure Ruth would say no to that.

Now, there are issues with management for making it your responsibility - and that is for you to decide on if and how you will take a stand.  I am not sure how I would deal with it - as I work in a fairly large theatre, with a fairly large staff, half of them non-equity.  So adding little duties is pretty common to me.

NOW here's the real question, how did I get management to understand it's not an AEA ASM's job to move scenery backstage?

[RuthNY]

Ruth's example is an emergency situation - that's one thing.  But making it part of our daily job?   If Ruth was asked to deal with all plumbing issues at the theatre, it seems like that is really odd - and I am pretty sure Ruth would say no to that.

Agreed.  That would be a huge "No!"

NOW here's the real question, how did I get management to understand it's not an AEA ASM's job to move scenery backstage?

If you figure out how to do that, will you call me right away?

[J]

Very nice post, Matthew.  You've hit the nail on the head for me. It's about where to draw lines, and something that I think is really important in stage management, so that we don't sacrafice ourselves until there's nothing left of us.

RuthNY- I would mop up the bathroom in that situation because it's an emergency. I would do exactly as you did.  Because it's such an extreme situation, I'd handle it.  This would also be the case if an actor dropped a jug of milk in the greenroom and still needed to get in costume 10 minutes before go. I'd clean up the milk.  Cleaning the greenroom as a daily duty, including doing their dishes, however, is not an emergency. I've made my decision that I can't give in and do this because of other sacrifices I'm making.  How I deal with actually discussing this with management I have yet to determine, though they're easy going so I'm not terribly nervous, and luckily I have a rulebook behind me to trump everything if necessary.

Now as far as AEA ASM's not moving scenery--- I TOO want to know how you get the management to understand that!  Please put me on the phone tree!     (When having that discussion with them, can you talk with them about the importance of having an ASM or at least a PA on EVERY show, so that the SM is not doing everything by themselves?)

[RuthNY]

And how do we get them to understand that running props is technically not the AEA ASM's job (in performance) either?

NOW here's the real question, how did I get management to understand it's not an AEA ASM's job to move scenery backstage?

Posted on: January 01, 2008, 05:46:54 PMIt's always tricky, trying to tell management why you won't do something. Approach it carefully.  Tell them, perhaps, about everything you do that would prevent you from taking on this job as well, and present 2 or 3 alternate, well thought out, solutions to the problem. Keep the rule book out of it as long as you can.  Use it only as a last resort.

Good luck, and let us know what happens!

<snip> 
Cleaning the greenroom as a daily duty, including doing their dishes, however, is not an emergency. I've made my decision that I can't give in and do this because of other sacrifices I'm making.  How I deal with actually discussing this with management I have yet to determine, though they're easy going so I'm not terribly nervous, and luckily I have a rulebook behind me to trump everything if necessary.

[MatthewShiner]

I find this very interesting . . . I have worked with some young/green ASMs before, who, even at the Equity level, want to jump in and help during tech, and end up with a track to run during the show.

Again, this leads me to the concept of a SM revolution . . . what if all stage managers were only to work the maximum number of hours allowed on the contract, billed for overtime, and ONLY did what was allowed by their contract.

What would happen to American Theatre?

[Sarah]

Amy...I should have clarified my answer. I fully understand what duties are "prohibited" and what are "approved" and I certainly wasn't suggesting that Justin "go behind Equity's back to hide it." Even though the specific duty of janitorial service is prohibited, it's not inconceivable that Justin, or another SM in a similar sitaution, might ask for compensation. Our contracts are always negotiable, in my opinion, as I do not believe any of us exempt from liberal readings of rules for the benefit of all involved. That is how we remain protected from unscrupulous producers and we ourselves continue to contribute to maintain our rights. I am, however, completely against setting precedents that are vulnerable to abuse, as this situation might blossom.

Again, this leads me to the concept of a SM revolution . . . what if all stage managers were only to work the maximum number of hours allowed on the contract, billed for overtime, and ONLY did what was allowed by their contract.

It'd be like winning the lottery.