|
First Collective Bargaining Agreement reached between the
AMERICAN GUILD OF MUSICAL ARTISTS and THE WASHINGTON BALLET
The American Guild of Musical Artists, AFL-CIO joins with the management of The Washington Ballet in announcing the successful achievement of a first collective bargaining agreement.
After a marathon bargaining session that began at noon on Wednesday March 1st and ended on March 6 in the early morning, AGMA and the Washington Ballet reached agreement.
Several people played vital roles in reaching this mutually acceptable agreement. Federal Mediation & Conciliation Service Commissioner Joel Schaefer mediated the bargaining and, as he did in both the San Francisco Opera and San Francisco Ballet negotiations, made it possible for the parties to reach an agreement.
The personal involvement of TWB Board President Kay Kendall and TWB Artistic Director Septime Webre and their willingness to recognize the true concerns of their dancers overcame the initial obstacles. The exceptional legal work of Gail Lopez-Henriquez and the constant support of the dancers from James Fayette brought the dancers' struggle to fruition.
But the ultimate credit for this success belongs to Eleni Kallas. She devoted the past 14 months of her life to this effort, from initially working with the dancers, to keeping them unified and strong through the months of NLRB proceedings and antagonistic contract negotiations, to her leadership on the picket lines on the nights of freezing rain and on the phone with the dancers most every other night, to her unwavering support and companionship through their long weeks of being locked out, and for the past five days and nights during which she endured seemingly intolerable hostility from all sides caused by her steadfast refusal to accept less than what she thought the dancers deserved in their contract. I simply can not find the right words to satisfactorily convey to you the feat she has accomplished on behalf of AGMA, the Washington Ballet and the TWB dancers.
And, finally, it is vital to recognize and acknowledge the truly amazing spirit and grit of the twenty gifted artists who dance for the Washington Ballet, who successfully undertook this work not only for themselves and TWB, but also to empower and improve the professional lives of dancers throughout the United States.
|