The new collective bargaining agreement between AGMA and The Washington Ballet was ratified by AGMA leadership, after being overwhelmingly approved by the shop.
There have been multiple additions and enhancements to the contract language, including improvements under compensation and benefits and new anti-harassment and anti-discrimination language.
Thank you to the negotiating committee and congratulations on this 3-year agreement!
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:
- Compensation increases of 4%-20% in first year, 3% in second and third years
- Apprentice ranks eliminated and replaced with Dancer Rates A1 and A2 with significant raises
- Automatic promotion to A2 rate for dancers who completed 3+ years in Studio Company
- Cash bonus for all artists for the first year – 1 week salary by October 1, 2022
- Increased Delegate fee from $750 to $925 per year
- Increased Master Class fee from $50 to $75
- New language and minimum fees for choreographers ranging from $400 to $1,500
- Per diem increases by $1/meal or $3/day, or the GSA rates in high-cost locations
- Social media takeover fee of $100
- Designation of Saturdays and Sundays as Free Days during rehearsal weeks
- Increased holidays with Christmas added back; holiday pay for Juneteenth
- Limits on use of Studio Company and Professional Training Division in mainstage productions
- Major rewrite of Ancillary Events clarifying what is mandatory vs. voluntary
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION and BELONGING (DEIB), and SAFETY:
- Comprehensive new DEIB language added
- Gender-neutral pronouns used throughout agreement
- Every Artist may select their designated personal pronouns, and, upon request, the Company shall change all current and going-forward employee records
- New Discrimination and Harassment language added
- Reverse Weingarten rights (the right to union representation when raising concerns about discrimination and harassment)