The Milwaukee chapter of the US Union Of Musicians, Actors And Stage Hands has criticised Bruce Springsteen and his promoters for picking a non-unionised venue in the city to stage a gig where the singer plans to perform the music of leftist folk singer Pete Seeger, a strong advocate of the labour movement.
Speaking for the union, Paul Friday said the decision to stage the gig at Milwaukee's Bradley Center was "bafflingly ironic and somewhat infuriating". He added: "We're not really protesting. We just want people to know Springsteen's taking the music of a very pro-union campaign into a venue like that."
Springsteen's people are yet to comment on the union's viewpoint, although the concert's promoters, Frank Productions, said they had chosen the venue for logistical reasons, telling reporters: "We usually figure out how many seats we have to sell to pay expenses and find a venue that provides that".
Meanwhile a spokesman for the Bradley Center said the venue was not unionised because the employees there chose not to form a union. Spokesman Evan Zeppos said: "It's not management's decision - it's up to them [the employees]. Hopefully, part of it is we respect workers there, treat them properly, give them competitive wages and a strong benefit package."
Despite those claims, Friday said about fifteen local musicians planned to flyer the venue on the night of the Springsteen gig, and would be singing left-wing songs written by or associated with Seeger.