With professional wrestlers set to entertain fans Wednesday night at South Philadelphia\u2019s 2300 Arena, the local stagehands union said the show\u2019s organizers were taking a heel turn when it came to paying their workers. <\/p>\n
International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 8 held a public awareness campaign outside the indoor arena, which happens to be across the street from IATSE\u2019s local union hall on South Swanson Street. <\/p>\n
Union local president Michael Barnes said the event producer, All Elite Wrestling, along with the arena, would not agree to pay \u201carea standard\u201d wages to the 50 people it brought in to run the lights, cameras, and other elements for the venue.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe purpose of this is to raise awareness, not to ruin anybody\u2019s time tonight,\u201d Barnes said. He encouraged wrestling fans to support IATSE\u2019s social media initiatives and sign a petition telling AEW to pay the area standard. <\/p>\n
Other event producers that used 2300 Arena in recent years, such as World Wrestling Entertainment and Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, have established agreements with IATSE to pay that rate \u2014 about $40 per hour for a journeyman, plus benefits \u2014 according to Barnes.<\/p>\n
Often, these jobs go to local workers, Barnes said. But AEW has brought in staff from South Carolina, Florida, and Mississippi, and is classifying some of them as contractors to avoid paying benefits, he said. <\/p>\n
\u201cSo we\u2019re informing the public through picketing and handbilling that the area standard is being undermined,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
AEW spokesperson <\/b>Adam Hopkins said the labor dispute really should be between the union and the event venue, the 2300 Arena. <\/p>\n
\u201cAll Elite Wrestling has paid, and will continue to pay, the prevailing wages to all locals used as part of our residency at the venue and has maintained a great relationship with IATSE Local 8 for previous events held at other venues in Philadelphia,\u201d Hopkins said. <\/p>\n
Standing outside the 2300 Arena, Roger Artigiani said he has run wrestling events there for two decades.<\/p>\n
He said events like this don\u2019t come up often, and it would not be financially viable for him to follow the union\u2019s requests. <\/p>\n
He said the venue does not make that much money from these events, adding: \u201cThis isn\u2019t the Wells Fargo Center.\u201d <\/p>\n
He said it would put him out of business to have to pay staff union wages.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo me, I don\u2019t like bullies,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd that\u2019s all they\u2019re doing.\u201d<\/p>\n
A raucous scene<\/p>\n