Negotations Resume in Stagehands' Strike

New York, NY —

The Stagehands' Union and the League of American Theaters and Producers are set to resume negotiations this weekend.

REPORTER: Over two dozen Broadway theaters have been dark for the past week following a walkout by the union, Local One. At the center of the dispute is the number of stagehands required for every production. The union wants to maintain job security. Gordon Cox, a theater reporter for Variety, says what producers want is greater flexibility in hiring.

COX: They are required right now to hire a fly man, a person who operates the flys -- which are the things that rise and fall to the stage -- for every production on Broadway, even if that production has no flys.

REPORTER: The negotiations have been spurred on by the threat of huge financial losses if Broadway is dark during Thanksgiving. The holiday weekend is the most profitable weekend of the year on Broadway.

Meanwhile, the city is working to give a boost to theater district restaurants that have lost business during the Broadway strike. Diners at more than 25 participating restaurants will get a 15 percent discount until November 25th.