[SML] job ethics

[Riter, Andrew]

In the past few years, we had a couple of clients rent our venue that brought in "controversial" speakers: Ben Shapiro and Jordan Peterson were the most identifiable names.  Solo talking head format.  A debate with an opposing figure might be more interesting and balanced (Ben Shapiro and Christophen Hitchens (RIP) for example??)

It's a job (for me, white, male).  Got boring really fast.

The employer (in BC) must present a safe workplace, free from assault, bullying, harassment etc.  That's also University policy.

For the FOH staff, we had to come up with policies about staffing, and if staff felt unsafe (given the audience draw, and the perceived views of the audience members against the visible characteristics of our FOH staff), they could refuse those shifts, be elsewhere in the building, leave their post if hassled, etc.

Tech staff had same options, but we're not typically involved in the audience side (except for Head Audio in the mix pit), so not such a big deal (in theory, we're not in as much danger, as an 18year old transitioning BIPOC immigrant usher)

Added campus security, outside security for wanding/bag screening, big headache.  PLUS the bad PR for the facility ("you're hosting WHO?"), the threat of external protestors, and supporters mixing it up outside.

Yeah.  It's a Headache.  Also got more and more expensive for the client as security costs went up with the escalating level of speakers they were bringing in.

If I were still freelancing, and the client reached out and asked me to come in and do their gig, I might do the first, see what it's about, and then later on decide if I want to work with them again, based on the next particular speaker or act.  It would also depend on how hungry / broke I am that week.

Andrew M. Riter  
Assistant Technical Director, Head Lighting Technician
Chan Centre 

Phone 604 822 2372
andrew.riter at ubc.ca

-----Original Message-----
From: Stagecraft <stagecraft-bounces at theatrical.net> On Behalf Of *Hobbit* via Stagecraft
Sent: Thursday, January 14, 2021 2:53 AM
To: stagecraft at theatrical.net
Cc: *Hobbit* <hobbit at avian.org>
Subject: [SML] job ethics

[CAUTION: Non-UBC Email]

Without trying to lean left or right here, I have to wonder ... do the folks working tech at political events wind up with really mixed feelings about effectively contributing to people/efforts/causes that they're not personally in favor of?  Is it in their best ethical interests to decline such gigs, or is it "just a job" and everybody there is able to remain 100% mentally detached from whatever's going on, even if it is sometimes patently awful?

_H*

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