The FIRST collective bargaining agreement between AGMA and Ballet Memphis was approved by AGMA leadership on April 13 2025 after being ratified by the shop.
Thank you to the negotiating committee, and congratulations on this FIRST agreement!
CONTRACT HIGHLIGHTS:
Compensation and Other Highlights:
Two-year Agreement from date of ratification
- Wages:
- Established new minimum rates in Year 1 for Artists that are 5% higher than previous entry-level rates
- Guaranteed 3% increase in 25-26 season
- 2% in 26-27 Season for all Artists, including overscale Artists
- Expanded ranks to include new Leading Artist rank
- Compensated daily company class
- Guaranteed minimum number of Artists – 14 per season
- Guaranteed minimum number of weeks – 36 per season
- Supplemental/Guest Artists covered and only permitted after all guaranteed Artists have been contracted
- Established overtime rate at 1.5 times hourly rate
- Establish Free Day rate
- Established extraordinary risk pay
- Established compensation for teaching Master Class
- Guaranteed 11 paid holidays (including Juneteenth)
- Minimum pro-rata compensation required if called to work during layoff
- Retirement, dental, vision, and disability insurance codified
- Health Insurance: Ballet Memphis to contribute to the premium for each Artist who elects company policy
- Guaranteed two weeks paid time off
- Guarantee of 2 Free Days in every week
- Guaranteed break times, including 5 min breaks
- Guaranteed break times/intermissions and calls during performances
- 8-hour work span: All work in a day must happen within a span of 8 hours
- Guaranteed that every Artist cast to perform a role will be given studio run-through rehearsal
- Rehearsals during tech week limited to that production only
- Artists may be required to perform in up to a maximum of 8 performances per week
- Use of students limited to general corps roles and no more than 40% of the total corps dancers used in any performance shall be students. All company Artists must be cast before students are used
- Guaranteed five days bereavement leave
- Guarantee of two comp tickets for each production
- Guaranteed rates and royalty fees for Artist who work as Choreographers
- Choreographing Artists to receive copies of any recordings of their work
- Choreographing Artists to receive an additional two comp tickets to the Ballet’s premiere
Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, & Accessibility:
- Policies and practices provided annually; Employer must make policies and practices known to anyone working with Artists
- Annual discussion regarding Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Culture during orientation
- AGMA to provide and company to consider options for training
- Right to AGMA representative when reporting inappropriate, discriminatory, or retaliatory behavior
- Commitment to continue the elimination of appropriation and stereotyping in costumes, choreography, makeup and other artistic choices
- Commitment to circulate job postings and recruit future artists from groups traditionally underrepresented in the dance industry
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as standing agenda item for Joint Committee
- Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility for gender variant artists
- Guaranteed paid time off for Artists for religious observances
- Pregnancy and Parental leave:
- Artist may continue to rehearse or perform for as long as the Artist determines they are capable of doing so.
- New parents will receive 1 full week of paid leave in addition to any other PTO on CBA. After 11 additional weeks of unpaid leave, an additional unpaid 4 weeks may be taken at physician’s recommendation without loss of rank/rate of pay
- Guarantee of reasonable break time and private space for nursing parents
- Guarantee to provide makeup and hair products to match skin tone/hair color and type
Health & Safety:
- Guaranteed Physical Therapy at least twice per week and will be scheduled during Artists’ break
- Guarantee to modified choreography when performing at outreach events
- Guaranteed access to water, ice, and first aid supplies
- Established appropriate safety measures for stages and sets; delegates scheduled for safety walk-through with Director of Production prior to first production
- Each Artist cast to perform will be provided rehearsal on stage with all scenery, props, and lighting
- Guaranteed suitable floor and surfaces
- No smoke and fog unless generated by water or dry ice
- Fight Director guaranteed when production requires stage combat
- Intimacy training
- Artist must consent to performing any role which portrays intimacy
- Intimacy training of artistic staff to be required beginning in Year 2 of CBA
Costumes and Shoes:
- Guarantee of 1 pair of pointe shoes per week (36 pairs total) and 6 pairs of flat shoes for Artists who dance on pointe; 15 pairs of flat shoes for Artists who do not dance on pointe; pointe shoe hardening materials to be provided
- Established process for changing shoe orders
- Guaranteed cleaning of costumes and costume fittings
Touring:
- Transportation/mileage guaranteed for any run-out of more than 40 miles from studio
- Guaranteed language regarding hotels, accommodations, meal allowances
- Information regarding hospitals and walk-in clinics will be provided prior to the tour
- Guaranteed rest time after travel
Media:
- Guaranteed approval rights for head shots and individual photographs
- Guaranteed notice prior to photography
- Negotiations required over Artists’ compensation for streaming
- Established limits on recordings of Artists
- Donor and development activities, social media takeovers, galas or fundraisers considered Artistic Activity and paid
General:
- Joint Committee meetings 4x per season; Chairperson of Ballet Memphis Board (or designee) to attend one meeting per season to provide report
- Artistic Evaluation guaranteed prior to end of January each year
- Reengagement: guaranteed date by which offer received (3rd Monday of February); 3-weeks to respond with ability to request 1-week extension
- Guarantee to retain 75% of Artists in the event Ballet Memphis replaces the Artistic Director
- Established requirement for sufficient rehearsal time prior to performing after layoff