Broadway isn’t bowing to strike

The two sides may not be talking in the tense labor negotiations between Broadway producers and the New York stagehands’ union, but shows will go on this weekend as scheduled.

“All Broadway theatergoers who have tickets should come in and enjoy the performances,” Charlotte St. Martin, executive director of the League of American Theatres and Producers, said Friday. “To those of you who have followed media reports of the Broadway contract negotiations with Local One and have heard that we may be shutting down today or over the weekend, we want to assure you that that is not the case.”

The two sides presented what each called its final offer on Tuesday and have not had any formal discussions since.

Producers want more flexible work rules, meaning more leeway in the number of stagehands they hire to load-in and keep a show running. The union seeks to protect its jobs.

What happens next week is anybody’s guess since both parties seem far apart on an agreement. The stagehands have been working without a contract since July.