Thousands Sign Petition Urging Atlantic Theater Back to Bargaining with IATSEMore than 10,000 supporters have signed a petition "Tell the Atlantic Theater: Make a Fair Deal for Workers," the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) announced Friday. The Atlantic Theater Company's backstage crew has been on strike for nearly a month. Last February, the Atlantic Theater Company's production crew, including carpenters, electricians, painters, audio and video technicians, hairdressers, makeup artists, and wardrobe workers, voted nearly unanimously to unionize. The workers are looking for higher wages and healthcare coverage, among others. Negotiations have dragged on and, on January 12, management threatened to cancel upcoming shows, motivating the 90-plus worker unit to unanimously authorize a strike. The Atlantic's management has now indefinitely postponed two Off-Broadway shows: Grief Camp and I'm Assuming You Know David Greenspan, both of which were set to begin previews in early January. The surge in petition signatures also follows several New York elected officials -- Assemblymember Tony Simone, Congressman Jerry Nadler, State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal, State Senate Labor Chair Jessica Ramos, Assembly Labor Chair Harry Bronson, Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, and Councilmember Erik Bottcher -- writing a joint letter urging the Atlantic Theater Company to resume good faith negotiations. In a statement, the theatre offers a counterargument, saying, "The world of Off-Broadway theatre is quickly changing: many not-for-profits are doing shorter seasons and choosing plays with smaller casts, press coverage that can boost tickets sales is never guaranteed, advertising costs continue to rise, and production costs have nearly doubled since the pandemic. Most of Off-Broadway is facing a precarious financial situation, running significant deficits since returning from COVID. If IATSE is successful in getting their proposed financials with Atlantic, it would set a precedent for other Off-Broadway companies and we may see the demise of some of our greatest institutions, including Atlantic." The company's next production, Let's Love, is scheduled to begin performances on March 19, although, at this point, it seems unlikely to happen in that time frame. 
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