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Hundreds of IA 33 Members
and Supporters Rally for Fair Wages at LA Forum
 Hundreds
of locked-out IA 33 members and their supporters rallied
at the LA Forum on May 21, May 23 and May 24, crowding
the entrances to Madonna's "Confessions Tour" to
protest SMG's 35% wage cuts.
Union members, holding picket signs that read "35
Percent Cuts are Too Much" and "Keep Middle
Class Jobs in Inglewood," passed out hundreds
of fliers to concert goers, educating them on the issues
and asking for their support. Locked out since April
10, IA 33 members asked Madonna fans to buy their concession
purchases online instead of at the LA Forum. They also
asked them to phone and fax the Forum's owners, urging
them to meet with the workers.
"These hardworking men and women you see here
today would much rather be inside working than outside
on the sidewalk," said International Alliance
of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 33 Business Rep
Peter Marley. "We have a 39-year history at the
Forum. We deserve better treatment than this. We're
here as people of good conscience to tell the Forum
owners to meet with us and put our members back to
work."
 "We're asking Madonna and all other performers
scheduled to appear at the Forum to help us by insisting
on union crews," added James Wright, IA Local
33 business representative. "We just want to go
back to work."
Billy
Blanch, a retired IA 33 member, turned out all three
nights to help stagehands to get back to work with
fair wages. Blanch's parents and children are members
of the union and he said he wanted to ensure his children
also had a future with middle-class wages.
"That's why I'm here," he said. "The
union has provided me with very good pay. I would like
to see them have the same advantages. I had a lot of
people fight for me before me and I need to fight for
them."
IA member Fred Mateski, a six-year member of the union,
said the 35% percent cut in his wages have made it
hard to pay the bills. He's also had to weather a cut
in hours and four-hour calls that barely make up for
the gas he spends to get to work.
 He says losing well-paying jobs at the Forum means
more losses down the road at other venues.
"This is a killder for us," he said.
Stagehand
veterans have been seeking a new contract with the
LA Forum for two years. They were locked out after
their paychecks were slashed by more than 35 percent
for rehearsals and other types of work. Janitors had
their contracts terminated in February. The Building
Engineers were forced out of the Forum last year.
The Forum is owned by Faithful Central Bible Church,
which purchased the facility six year ago.
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