A strike vote Thursday by the union representing 1,500 stagehands and other backstage workers could shut down Broadway shows as soon as Friday, according to the union. The vote will be held throughout the day Thursday. “This strike vote will send a strong message that we will not accept substandard contracts that fail to acknowledge our workers’ contributions,” said Mathew Loeb, president of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees .
The strike threat comes as 160,000 actors who are represented by SAG-AFTRA, as well as 11,000 members of the Writers Guild of America, are already on strike against major film studios and streaming services, shutting down most of the film movie and television shows in production nationwide. The strike would be a blow to the New York City economy, which is still suffering from the shift from in-office work to people working from home.