Labor unions representing technicians in film, the performing arts and the broadcasting and recording industries face an uphill battle to survive the technological, regulatory and economic changes transforming the entertainment industry.

The gloomy forecast for these "below-the-line" (technician) unions is contained in a recent book titled Under the Stars, a collection of essays on labor relations in the arts and entertainment, edited by faculty at Cornell University's School of Industrial and Labor Relations and published by Cornell University Press.

"Unions continue to find themselves in a reactive posture, trapped by outmoded structures that render them unable to respond effectively to rapid changes at the studios and networks," writes Ronald L. Seeber, associate dean of Cornell's School of Industrial and Labor Relations, who co-edited Under the Stars with his Cornell colleague Lois S. Gray, the Jean McKelvey-Alice Grant Professor of Industrial and Labor Relations. "Clearly, unions will have to develop new strategies if they are to survive the changes sweeping their industry."

Below-the-line unions include the International Alliance of Theatrical and Stage Employees and the National Association of Broadcast Engineers and Technicians, which represent more than 65,000 workers.

Technology, the authors note, has been the single most important influence on employment and labor relations in the industry. Bargaining strength of below-the-line unions has "greatly deteriorated" as the skill levels required to operate new equipment have decreased and as functional lines between management and labor have blurred. This decrease in skill level has weakened the unions' power to strike, because management has found it easy to replace striking workers with no appreciable effect on production.

The authors also contend that the growth of independent production companies has led to an increase in the use of cheaper non-union labor, making it difficult for unions to make contract demands that result in increased costs for management. This trend has forced unions to accept unpopular concessions in order to retain jobs.

In addition, the scholars note, unions also have suffered from the emergence of entertainment conglomerates. These corporate mergers of affiliated but separate companies have made it more difficult for unions to negotiate effectively. Also, because unions are nationally rather than internationally organized, they are ill-equipped to monitor and deal with increasing globalization of the entertainment business.

But Gray contends that these unions are far from extinct. "The changes within the industry require changes within the unions," she said, "and we are beginning to see some taking place, such as more aggressive organizing. But I think unions need to confront less and cooperate more, not only with management but with each other."

Susan Christopherson, Cornell associate professor of city and regional planning who penned one of the book's chapters, believes the ability of these unions to weather and adapt to the momentous changes in the industry, beginning with the dismantling of studio contracts in the 1950s, makes them role models for other industries facing major changes. "When long-term employment was not possible for individuals, these unions formed flexible institutions to provide benefits and credentialing outside of any employment context; they are at the heart of the success of the industry. If these unions didn't exist, the industry would have to invent them.

"These unions provide a model for the rest of the economy," Christopherson noted. "Many more employees in other industries now work on short-term and temporary contracts. In all industries there is a need to devise more structure that allows people to work for multiple employers but enables them to maintain health benefits and credentials."

Under the Stars also addresses key issues for above-the-line unions that represent performers, directors and writers (Actors Equity Association, American Federation of Musicians, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, Directors Guild of America, Screen Actors Guild, Writers Guild of America and the American Guild of Variety Artists). Such issues include how to share in the income from multimedia distributions of an artist's product and how to protect the product from piracy and exploitation.