Get Started Sent on Behalf of the Dancers of Dallas Black Dance Theatre We, the dedicated dancers of Dallas Black Dance Theatre (DBDT), unanimously voted on May 29 to form a union with the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA). Since then, DBDT’s leadership has made several unusual and aggressive decisions, including terminating a veteran, beloved dancer and stripping away our second income stream by not letting us teach at the DBDT Academy. These actions appear to be retaliatory, punishing us for seeking a real voice in our working lives. We detailed our experiences in a public statement on July 24, and you can read it here. In addition to being offensive, hurtful, and damaging to the Company, we believe leadership’... Read More -->

AGMA Artists are invited to contribute writing or artwork to the upcoming Fall 2024 issue of AGMAzine! Theme: UNION STRONG: WHAT AGMA MEANS TO ME Members are encouraged to interpret this broad theme of union pride in any way that inspires them. Some ideas include: What AGMA Means: To members, to the future of the performing arts, and to the entire labor movement. Personal Experiences: Have you recently served on a negotiating committee or organized your workplace? Are you a caucus leader, delegate, area committee member, or AGMA Governor? Additional Topics: Career education; support and transitions; challenges and advancements in your field; legislative gains in the industry; member participation in the labor sector. Deadline: Sep... Read More -->

The new collective bargaining agreement between AGMA and Milwaukee Ballet was approved by AGMA leadership on July 22, 2024, after being ratified by the shop. Thank you to the negotiating committee, and congratulations on this 3-year agreement! CONTRACT HIGHLIGHTS: The Apprentice I salary will be increased by $100 per week in the first year and then 3% in each subsequent year All other Dancer salaries will be increased by 3% in each season Martin Luther King Jr. Day is now on the Company Holidays List Holidays will be counted as six hours of working time in the week the holiday is celebrated Dancers will get two Free Days following a performance run unless the week following a performance run is a layoff week ​ The additional 3 h... Read More -->

To all SAG-AFTRA video game workers on strike, AGMA stands in unwavering solidarity with you. Your fight for what’s fair mirrors our own struggles in the performing arts. As you push back against exploitation and confront the challenges posed by AI and automation, we join you in demanding transparency, ethical standards, and protection for all workers. Stay strong, stay united, and know that we – like so many of your sibling unions – are with you every step of the way. For more information and to find out whether a video game has been struck, please visit sagaftra.org/videogamestrike.... Read More -->

Sent on Behalf of the Dancers of Dallas Black Dance Theatre Dear friends and supporters in Dallas and beyond, We, the dedicated dancers of Dallas Black Dance Theatre (DBDT), voted unanimously on May 29 to form a union with the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA). Since that day, DBDT’s leadership has made several unusual and aggressive decisions. Why? It would seem for no other purpose than to punish us for our decision to have a real voice in our working lives. We’ve attempted to communicate with leadership and have been met with silence. We now exercise our collective right to talk about our situation publicly, with the hope that DBDT leadership will hear us and work with us on a path forward. So, let’s get in... Read More -->

AGMA urges its members to help protect vital funding for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). These funds support millions of union jobs for creative professionals in every state and provide all Americans with access to enriching programs that lift up local economies. We have been informed by the Department of Professional Employees (DPE) that there are proposed amendments to cut NEA and NEH funding by over 23%, which amounts to $48 million for each agency. These cuts would be devastating to the performing arts industry. Now is the time to invest in the NEA and NEH, not cut funding. We hear that the vote on this could happen as early as 9:00 p.m. ET TONIGHT! AGMA members ar... Read More -->

The San Francisco Symphony management has once again shown their disregard for the hardworking members of the San Francisco Symphony Chorus. Management has informed us that they won’t be available to meet again until August 23—well after our contract expires.  This ongoing situation is unacceptable. Fortunately, both national and local San Francisco press, along with our supportive community, are highlighting these issues and standing in solidarity with us. (Check out some headlines below!) It's time for management to acknowledge and address these concerns as well. AGMA will continue to advocate for the ENTIRE chorus and we do not plan on slowing down. We are in this together and will continue to keep everyone updated.  Recent... Read More -->

Send a LETTER to Management Published on Behalf of the Members of the San Francisco Symphony Chorus Dear Friends and Supporters, We, the members of the San Francisco Symphony Chorus, write to you with a deep sense of pride in our collective accomplishments and a sincere concern for the future of our cherished institution. The 32 paid singers of the Chorus are members of the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA), whose collective bargaining agreement expires at the end of July. The rest of our ensemble is composed of well over 120 unpaid singers who give their time and significant talents to the Symphony Chorus. Given the recent public discussions about the financial challenges faced by the Symphony, we feel compelled t... Read More -->

The Opera & Concert Choristers Caucus (OCCC) hosted a seminar on body equity on Tuesday, July 2. Guest speaker Patrick Hansen led a discussion on the various challenges—both real and perceived—that singers face during auditions and the casting process. The seminar was recorded and is now available to view on the members-only section of the AGMA website. AGMA members can access the webinar by logging in to MyAGMA, selecting "AGMA Webinars" from the MyAGMA dropdown menu, and then "AGMA Caucus Webinars."... Read More -->

The new collective bargaining agreement between AGMA and Florentine Opera was approved by AGMA leadership on June 17, 2024, after being ratified by the shop. Thank you to the negotiating committee and congratulations on this 4-year agreement! CONTRACT HIGHLIGHTS: COMPENSATION AND OTHER BENEFITS: Increase in payments for all Artists: 2% (2023-24) 2% (2024-25) 3% (2025-26) 3% (2026-27) Chorister payments: Chorus Bit: 3 hours rehearsal at 3 production rate for each performance​ Non-Spoken Role: 2 hours rehearsal at 3 production rate for each performance​ Spoken Role: Schedule C Role rate OR 3 hours rehearsal at 3 production rate for each performance​ Choristers will receive overtime after 6 hours in a day Per Performance P... Read More -->