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HAWAII
STATE AFL-CIO
320 Ward Avenue, SuIte 209 Honolulu, Hawaii 96814 |
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Harold
J. Dias, Jr.
President
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Telephone:
(808) 597-1441
Fax: (808) 593-2149
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August
15, 2005
Dear Brothers
and Sisters:
Please
share with your members the following important information
about an ongoing boycott of Blue Man Group, the popular, multi-million
dollar, multinational, but also very anti-union entertainment
corporation.
When preparing
to open its new show in Toronto, Blue Man Group refused to
negotiate an agreement with the four unions - Canadian Actors
Equity, Toronto Musicians' Association, and IATSE Locals 58
and 822 - that represent workers in this industry. This is
in spite of the fact that every other major theater producer
in Toronto adheres to agreements with these same unions. No
performer or crew member in any of Blue Man Group's productions
in North America works under the protection of a union contract,
leading some to call Blue Man Group the "Wal-Mart of
the arts."
In response,
these four unions have called for an international consumer
boycott of all Blue Man Group productions, including those
in New York City, Chicago, Las Vegas, as well as Toronto.
The Executive
Board of the Hawaii State AFL-CIO, at its August 11, 2005
meeting, endorsed this boycott and is asking all Hawaii unions
to urge their members to respect the boycott by refraining
from patronizing any Blue Man Group presentation.
More information
can be found on the boycott website, www.bluemanboycott.com.
In
Solidarity,
Harold J. Dias, Jr.
President
Enclosures
C: Susan
Wallace, Executive Director, Canadian Actor's Equity Association
Bill Skolnik, President, Toronto Musicians' Association, Local
149 AFM
Gordon Graham, President IATSE, Local 58
Cheryl Batulis, Business Agent IATSE, Local 822
View/Download
a .pdf version of the original Hawaii
State AFL-CIO letter
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