Claffey's statement reads, "'Spider-Man' is the most challenging musical production in the history of Broadway.  For all the advanced technical equipment used in today's Broadway shows, the shows are still performed and run by human beings.  The human element cannot be taken out of live theatre, and the Broadway theatre is a strictly choreographed system of actors, stage managers, technicians and machines.

"Local One and the production of 'Spider-Man' are in agreement with our insistence of safety checks and redundancies that have been added to ensure the safety of everyone involved in 'Spider-Man.'  After a complete review of all technical aspects of the show in its entirety and continued collaboration with the New York State Department of Labor, OSHA, production management of 'Spider-Man' and all other affected unions, Local One IATSE is confident in the additional safety protocols that have been newly installed and implemented to address this specific incident and the entirety of the show. The Union maintains and will continue to pursue the collaboration of all these parties. Safety for this Union, is and has always been paramount for everyone on stage and backstage and for the audience in front of the curtain.

"The Foxwoods Theatre stage crew servicing this 'Spider-Man' production is an elite crew, proficient in all new technologies required for this groundbreaking show. Local One stands by this crew of professional stagehands and joins them in their sincere concerns for a colleague of 'Spider-Man' who lies in Bellevue Hospital.

 "Local One, and its more than 3000 members join the entire Theatre community in sending heartfelt best wishes to Christopher Tierney for a rapid recovery from the injuries he suffered."

Spider-Man canceled performances Dec. 22 due to the injury of actor Christopher Tierney at the Dec. 20 performance of the new musical. *

Local One is the "premier stagehand union of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (I.A.T.S.E)."