U2 found itself in an unenviable position over the weekend — perhaps even more unenviable than the group's attachment to the seemingly cursed "Spider-Man" musical.
A local branch of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) picketed a concert by Bono, the Edge and their bandmates at the Burton Cummings Theater in Winnipeg, Canada, on Saturday, due to the Irish rock group's decision to use non-union stage employees at their concert at the Canad Inns Stadium on Sunday.
The non-union employees were part of a film crew completing a documentary about the band.
During the protest, approximately 80 IATSE local 63 members were joined by sister locals. One sign amid the protests noted "Sunday Bloody Sunday — Edge & Bono Union Busters."
Calling the band's use of non-union stage employees "nothing short of union busting," IATSE president Matthew D. Loeb noted, "The members of Local 63 have been working in legitimate theater and at every major concert event in Winnipeg for over 100 years. They had agreed to match the costs of any non-union labor provider working on the U2 concert. The International will continue to support the efforts of the members of Local 63 to ensure that labor standards are maintained."
A publicist for U2 did not immediately respond to TheWrap's request for comment.
