So are we to believe the trust hires nonprofessionals at rates comparable or higher than the unionized stagehands' rates?

According to Mr. Brown, the money is less a concern for the trust than the matter of union jurisdiction. After all, how dare the unionized stagehands think they're the ones with expertise to man regional stages?

Apparently Mr. McMahon is worried about the long-term financial effects of changing that arrangement.

The trust receives tax dollars through the state's Department of Community and Economic Development, Regional Asset District revenue and whose senior executive's salary is $575,000 before benefits.

IATSE offered to bring the nonunion workers into the fold, much like the formerly nonunion stagehands at the old Station Square Amphitheater. IATSE has embraced anyone interested in stage work and the experienced worker unwise to his right to a living wage, the brotherhood of professionals, job security, and pension, life, medical and disability benefits.

Mr. Brown recently addressed unionized stagehands before a meeting at City Council, where he told them: "I know you guys are tired of hearing about stage work in Pittsburgh that's not available to you. I know you know what's going on. Its obvious to us. ... We see Pittsburgh tax-funded event stages not staffed by us, and venues going up across the river without our labor, too." (Stage AE on the North Shore also should be hiring IATSE members. Mr. Foyle expresses.)

If First Night outdoor event stages are supported by tax money, acclaimed as family-friendly and good for the economy, then it should be legislated that they are employing Pittsburgh's long-standing, working-class professional union stagehands.

Mr. Brown ran the numbers. The cash outlay from the trust, if it hired IATSE stagehands, would be about $22,000. "An insignificant amount," to a company that "retains 87 million in unrestricted assets," he said.

But to the stagehands and their families, it couldn't be more significant.

IATSE stagehands and their families will protest with handbills Downtown on New Year's Eve. Their call to "Occupy Stages" is just beginning, an opening act, as the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust continues to take tax dollars but circumvents the working class.