The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-28
ACTORS IN ALABOR UNION.
THEIR SOCIETY FINDS a War TO
DEAL WITH ED MINAGERS.

-
TIE whss OF Speculative ~nfpnassrs Are Toe
MANY rsr the Usbusiu essiike Prsfessiepai
Rptertainers and Thes Propose to Fro
cure m Emcient RnGine or Redress.
The announcement was mado yesterday that
tho Actors Society Of America, composed Of
the members Of the theatrical profession who
play In what Is called the legitimate drama, has
decided to become q labor union. There is q
trades union Of actors already in existence COM
posed Of those who do their turn at the vaude-
vile theatres. 1t is called the Actors Protec-
tive Union and is af1liated with the Central
Labor Union. The Actors Society has voted
by an overwhelming majority to apply for q
charter TO the National Alliance Of Stage EN-.
ployees, and IL tho charter is granted. a. Ia
highly probable, the Actors Society will have
the privilege of applying for representation in
the c. l. U. The National Alliance of Stage
Employees takes in the unions Of scene paint
ers, stage carpenters, and others connected with
the theatrical business. The Theatrical Pro
tective Union, composed OF the local stage car
penters Ia represented in the Central Labor
Union.
There arc about 1900 members in the Actors
Society. the headquarters Of which are at
1892 Broadway. Its President is Joseph
wheelock. F. f. Mackay, who was 30 well
known in the days Of Lester Wallack, In ono the
Board Of Directors. The proposal to affiliate
with the N. A. 8. e. has been under considera-
ton by the Actors Society for some months.
Actors as o rule are poor business men. When
speculative managers induced any of them 20
make a bargain which was o Heads I win
tails you lose affair, SO far as the managers
were concerned, though such q bargain could
not stand in law, the actors could not afford the
n m tSs cou H@0 We sS tSe actors to I ss't society eSs %" Mss
formed 1t was thought these grievances could be
G n Sha on es eisg. % Nat i O re he n Sst s5rol psie ePo Soh
that with tho regular, labor unions to back
them they, can get legislation passed BY which
chanic can have a mechanics lien. p. J. Rey-
nolds, the Secretary Of the Actors Society. said
Seven hundred of our members voted for and
100 against the proposal alt to apply for the char.
glad the application has boon made, in fact
proud OF II, and Mr.. wheelock is. too. Our APP
COMMITTEES Of the National Association Of stare
Employees, and I presume will BIO considered
r. r. Mackay said that tho application of the
Actors Society to become a regular trades
union Union was "a an s%Tpp sH Wsrs i, but ia tho Do actors - were ere
scrupulous speculative managers. and while the
seasons were growing shorter and shorter the
eA Rfew e1 D1 sRS SSsss' he's he sa Sd.r .are made now
hearsi99E for four weeks without pay and 5he 2
may be kept on for more than two weeks. II
not the engagement ends"
Mr.. Maokay instanced the case Of an sctress
who rehearsed for four weeks for an engage
ment and paid $3.50 for costumes. She had her
expenses to pay on the road and the engagement
in which q manager hired q company for the
road and was to pay the fare one way. He
f Paai. p eas %s Its 0 owen way rh9 then eGn aReoSsx Ie aitr s9 mt
cities, winding up ct Jersey City. The man
ayers share Of tho fare was 3 cents TO each
member of the company.
Twenty years ago he said. "a season lasted
forty weeks. The actors were paid their sala-
Hies on poor weeks az well as good weeks, Now
the average Of q stock company on the road 10
twenty-two weeks and the average salaries Of
an actor on the road. and When the season Is
over where is hot An agreement is often made
that II one or the other side Is dissatisfied the
engagement can terminate on two weeks
notice. II an actor kicks then the manager can
sometimes take advantage of this"