The new collective bargaining agreement between AGMA and Seattle Opera was approved by AGMA leadership on March 25, 2024, after being overwhelmingly ratified by the shop.
Thank you to the negotiating committee and congratulations on this 3-year agreement!
CONTRACT HIGHLIGHTS
COMPENSATION AND OTHER BENEFITS:
- Increases retroactive to September 1, 2023:
- Year One: 3% to 16.5%
- Year Two: 3% to 4%
- Year Three: 4% to 7%
- NEW payment model for Performing Principal Artists allowing them to receive their compensation weekly rather than after each performance.
- Parking or reimbursement for mass transit for all Artists
- Travel time counts as hours worked
- Decrease in weekly span and increase in overnight span for Production Staff
- NEW royalties for Choreographers.
- To review Dancer-specific gains, please revisit the prior one-year agreement
- NEW language for two board observers
- NEW category of covered Artist: Production Stage Manager
- Option for all Artists to direct Plan B funds to AGMA Retirement
- Expanded audio/visual recordings of the Principal Artist’s choosing for Principal Artists' personal and promotional use
- Ensured overtime cannot be applied to overscale
- Increased prep period for Production Staff
- Strengthened break language for Production Staff
- AGMA Membership Meetings during paid time
- Professional quality photos for personal or promotional use when Artist is featured
- NEW program and website credit language
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION AND SAFETY:
- To review all DEI and Safety gains, please revisit the one-year agreement
- NEW language that Artists hired for race-specific casting will be actively considered for future non-race-specifically-cast roles in subsequent 4-5 seasons
- NEW expansive Intimacy Coordinator and Fight Director language
- NEW Air quality safety language
- Physical Training/Conditioning and Massage/Cross Training for Principals when extraordinary physical effort is required by a role