Blue Man’s Unionbusting Betrays its Artistic Message |
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Written by Erin Johansson | |
July 31, 2008 | |
Sixteen years ago, I had the pleasure of seeing Blue Man Group’s original show in New York City. I reveled in the drumming, marshmallow tossing, and sense of community the artists encouraged in the midst of the information overload of our time. One longtime Blue Man summed up the show’s message in an interview with the Victoria Times Colonist in 2007:
But Blue Man’s artistic vision for more personal connection is belied by its recent actions repressing its employees’ efforts to come together for a stronger voice at work. According to a recent decision by the National Labor Relations Board, the Blue Man Group’s company illegally barred its Las Vegas employees from freely discussing their working conditions, discriminated against a union supporter, and refused to recognize and bargain with the employees’ union—more than two years after they voted for representation. These are typical violations of the law by anti-union American employers…but for Blue Man? Looks like it’s just The Man now—more concerned with making money than respecting its employees’ rights. |
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American Rights at Work is a nonprofit advocacy organization dedicated to promoting the freedom of workers to organize unions and bargain collectively with employers.
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