The new collective bargaining agreement between AGMA and Voices of Ascension was approved by AGMA leadership, after being overwhelmingly ratified by the shop. Thank you to the negotiating committee and congratulations on this 3-year agreement! CONTRACT HIGHLIGHTS: COMPENSATION, COVID, AND CBA COVERAGE: Compensation:Freeze in Year 13% Increase Year 23% Increase Year 3Increased media fees ($100 per production)A commitment to negotiating COVID-19 protocols prior to every productionExplicit coverage of experimental sub-groups ("Voices of the New," "Voices of Connection," etc.) under CBA DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION: Statement of Committee to DEI principals and agreement to working with AGMA to implement policies, compla... Read More -->

AGMA is happy to report that the Union and dancers of Texas Ballet Theater (TBT) have prevailed in the recent National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) hearing involving TBT! The NLRB found that TBT management’s claim was without merit and has ordered an immediate mail-ballot representation election. Ballots will be sent to the dancers on Friday, January 27, and the vote count will take place on Thursday, February 23. While we celebrate this victory, the TBT dancers continue to face a union-busting campaign by their employer and its hired consultant.  Please like, comment, and share this post to show your support for these brave artists who are fighting to win their union! ... Read More -->

Monday, January 23 at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT over Zoom The AGMA Staging Staff Caucus will host “BUILDING INDUSTRY CARE: An Open Discussion on Parents and Caregivers in Our Field” on Monday, January 23 at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT. ALL AGMA MEMBERS ARE INVITED AND ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND. All AGMA members in good standing can register here. Those who have already registered do not need to do so again. Zoom details will be sent prior to the start of the event. Rachel Spencer Hewitt will lead the Zoom discussion as guest speaker. She is the founder and National Director of Programming, Partnerships, and Resources of Parent Artist Advocacy League (PAAL), a national organization that serves as a resource hub, community, and... Read More -->

Register Today! AGMA will once again be hosting “An Intro to AGMA”, a live new-member orientation and informational webinar, on Monday, January 30. AGMA Members are welcome to join the webinar at 10:00 a.m. ET or 9:00 p.m. ET on January 30. The webinars will be the same, so members should select whatever time works best with their schedule. The estimated running time of the webinar is 45 minutes to 1 hour. “An Intro to AGMA” will cover everything from the history of AGMA and its structure, to the basics of joining AGMA, to why workers form unions and how they create collective power. The webinar will be presented by Griff Braun, AGMA's National Organizing Director. This is open to all AGMA members in good standing... Read More -->

The American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) is pleased to announce that the dancers of Ballet Memphis have voted overwhelmingly in favor of unionizing with AGMA, the labor union of the finest dancers, singers, and staging staff in dance, opera, and concert choral performance throughout the United States. The National Labor Relations Board election was held on Friday, January 13, following a lengthy union-busting campaign by the employer. Given the results, Ballet Memphis management has recognized AGMA as the exclusive bargaining representative of the dancers. “Congratulations to the dancers of Ballet Memphis for winning their Union. What a tremendous victory!” said Sam Wheeler, AGMA’s National Executive Director. “The na... Read More -->

Apply for the 2023 Union Plus Scholarship by 12:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, January 31, 2023. Eligibility: Current and retired members of unions participating in any Union Plus program, their spouses, and their dependent children (as defined by IRS regulations) are eligible.Members of participating unions from the U.S., Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Canada are eligible.The applicant must be accepted into a U.S. accredited college, university, community college, technical or trade school at the time the award is issued.Awards must be used for the 2023 - 2024 school year.Undergraduate and graduate students are eligible to apply. This program is offered through the Union Plus Education Foundation, which is sponsor... Read More -->

Share your support for the Dancers of Ballet Memphis as they fight for their union! Unfortunately, Ballet Memphis management rejected AGMA's request for voluntary recognition and has instead hired union-busting attorneys from Littler Mendelson, the law firm that is fighting unionizing efforts at Starbucks and elsewhere and is waging the anti-union campaign at Central City Opera. AGMA has filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board for a representation election which is now scheduled for this Friday, January 13. Support among the Ballet Memphis dancers remains solid, despite management’s union-busting efforts, and we’re confident that they will win their election and become the newest AGMA signatory company.  Please show y... Read More -->

Monday, January 23 at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT over Zoom The AGMA Staging Staff Caucus will host “BUILDING INDUSTRY CARE: An Open Discussion on Parents and Caregivers in Our Field” on Monday, January 23 at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT. ALL AGMA MEMBERS ARE INVITED AND ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND. All AGMA members in good standing can register here. Rachel Spencer Hewitt will lead the Zoom discussion as guest speaker. She is the founder and National Director of Programming, Partnerships, and Resources of Parent Artist Advocacy League (PAAL), a national organization that serves as a resource hub, community, and solutions generator for parents in the arts and the institutions who support them. Many of the discussions will surro... Read More -->

Please take a moment to share your support for the Dancers of Texas Ballet Theater (TBT) as they fight for their union! Unfortunately, TBT management has rejected AGMA’s request for voluntary recognition and has hired an outside consultant to run a union-busting campaign against their own dancers. So far that has included the usual condescending communications, misinformation, and captive audience meetings that we see in all union-busting campaigns. TBT management has also hired an attorney from Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, one of the largest international law firms in the world, in an attempt to deny the artists of TBT their legal right to a union election. An NLRB hearing was held last week over the legal issue raised by TBT m... Read More -->

The grace period for AGMA members to submit their 2023 basic annual dues without late fees ends January 31. Invoices were sent on or around November 18. To remain an AGMA member in good standing, and avoid future reinstatement fees, members should submit their dues by January 31! This upcoming year is also an ELECTION YEAR for AGMA! In May 2023, AGMA members will elect National Officers and Governors to represent them on AGMA’s Board of Governors. In order to participate at all levels of the Union, members must maintain good standing status (up to date on all payments/installment plans). This means in order to vote, nominate, or run as a candidate in union elections, engage in negotiations, vote on contracts, attend caucus or committe... Read More -->