Labor's Beef with Bruce

It's been nearly a week since Bruce Springsteen performed at Milwaukee's Bradley Center, and I've been remiss in getting to this.

I finally got around to scanning the leaflet that was distributed outside the venue to concertgoers as they entered.




Click on thumbnails to enlarge images.

When a woman handed me the leaflet, she was very polite. She said something to the effect, "Would you please read this and think about it as you enjoy the show?"

Obviously, IATSE Local 18 Milwaukee wasn't happy about Springsteen's choice of venue.

The Milwaukee Stage Employees Union was troubled by a show based on "Pete Seeger's pro-union music and beliefs" being "booked into a historically non-union venue like the Bradley Center."

Union members considered it to be a "subtly ironic, baffling, and infuriating situation," especially since "several other union-staffed facilities of similar size" were available the night of the concert.

The Milwaukee Labor community was "saddened and disappointed" by the choice of venue.

What I don't understand about this is that Springsteen has performed many times at the Bradley Center. I don't recall ever being handed similar materials from representatives of the union.

It's certainly possible that this wasn't the first time the union did this at a Springsteen concert. Perhaps I just didn't receive the flyer. Who knows?

If this was a new tactic, perhaps it was the nature of the music, pro-union, that prompted this particular action.

I don't know the reason for the possible inconsistency in targeting Springsteen this time around.

However, the fact remains that union members weren't pleased by Springsteen, "champion of the working man," appearing at the Bradley Center on this tour.


In a press release, the Milwaukee County Labor Council said:

We find it impossible to believe that brother Springsteen, a member in fine standing of two American Federation of Musicians locals, and his organization are simply out to make some fast cash and not spread brother Seeger's pro-labor union, pro-peace and pro-environmental messages to the folks attending the show.

Read more about the Milwaukee matter here, and here, and here.
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Also, IATSE Local 10 in Buffalo is planning an "event" for the Springsteen concert at HSBC Arena on July 18.

Apparently, the Milwaukee action was not the only union opposition Springsteen will meet on his U.S. tour.