WCPA Agreement!

Dear friends of the WCPA stagehands,

Yesterday, February 15, was our second meeting with
management and the Federal Mediators, and I am happy
to tell you that we have reached a tentative
agreement. Management presented an amended offer which
addressed several of our main concerns (scheduling,
covering all stagehands, seniority, and benefits), and
while not all of our issues have been remedied,
yesterday was a 180-degree turnaround from the first
meeting with the Federal Mediators on December 13. All
of the stagehands will have a chance to look at the
proposal and cast their vote.

What caused management's sudden change in attitude? I
don't think we can point to one single reason, but
raising the public's awareness through the media
outreach, the informational pickets, and communicating
with the Olympia City Council definitely played a
part. Workers from SEIU, IWW, Amalgamated Transit
Drivers (IT bus drivers), staff from the Evergreen
Labor Center, local user groups who rent the WCPA, and
the good citizens of Olympia stood with us at the
pickets, and contacted the City Council and the WCPA
Board. And we have to acknowledge the stagehands who
have stuck it out over the last 18 months, in spite of
some pretty rough times.

Our sincere thanks to all of you who expressed your
support. You helped us send a message that not only
are the arts important, but so are the dedicated men
and women who work behind the scenes to make it
happen.

Katy Fogg
WCPA Stagehands