Read about this in the New York Times!
The American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) and New York City Ballet (NYCB) reached a new three-year collective bargaining agreement, effective September 1, 2022, and running through August 31, 2025. The AGMA Board of Governors ratified the agreement at its September 6 meeting.
New York City Ballet and the AGMA NYCB Negotiating Committee, representing their fellow company dancers, stage managers, and other artists, came to a mutually beneficial contract. Notably, the three-year agreement restores losses from the economic cuts agreed to in March 2020 at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic which ultimately resulted in a shutdown of 18 months, including the cancellation of 27 weeks of NYCB performances.
The new contract will also formalize and reinforce practices and policies related to NYCB’s ongoing work on diversity, equity, and inclusion, which reflects the deep commitment that AGMA and NYCB share in upholding a workplace culture of safety, inclusion and belonging These include the continuation of mandatory anti-harassment and anti-discrimination training sessions on an annual basis; codifying the continued use of flesh-tone tights and shoes for ballets that were previously performed in pink tights and shoes; a commitment to eliminating racial stereotypes on stage; and a new commitment to engage an intimacy director on a pilot basis for the 2022-23 season to assist NYCB’s artists as they rehearse and perform intimate scenes and choreography.
“AGMA's primary bargaining priorities in negotiations across the country are the financial stability and health of our members, as well as IDEA provisions that create inclusive, just, and safe workplaces,” said Sam Wheeler, AGMA’s National Executive Director. “The new NYCB CBA achieves all of these goals and is a great example of what can be achieved when management and unions work together. Congratulations and thank you to the AGMA NYCB Negotiating Committee, the entire NYCB bargaining unit, and AGMA staffers Wendy LaManque and Brieanna Frye for their work on reaching an exceptional contract.”
In announcing the agreement NYCB Executive Director Katherine Brown and Artistic Director Jonathan Stafford said, “New York City Ballet is pleased to have reached an agreement with AGMA on a new three-year contract for our dancers and stage managers that both provides economic benefits, and continues our important work on creating a respectful and safe workplace for all employees. We are very grateful to AGMA and its negotiating committee for engaging in a productive process to achieve these shared goals in support of our dancers and stage managers.”