The union of professional musicians in South Florida performing alongside Miami City Ballet dancers sent a letter to Miami City Ballet Management on April 18. A copy of the letter from the South Florida Musicians Association, AFM Local 655, with the following note, was also sent directly to dancers. AGMA is sharing with permission. To the Miami City Ballet Dancers: Please know that you are not alone! The South Florida Musicians Association, Local 655 AFM, stands in solidarity with you and is ready to offer any support you may need as you continue to fight for your union. We have sent the following letter to management. In Solidarity, Members of the Miami City Ballet Orchestra and South Florida Musicians Association, AF... Read More -->

AGMA supports the STAGE Act, a crucial lifeline for non-profit theatres in the U.S. The Supporting Theater and the Arts to Galvanize the Economy (STAGE) Act would provide $1 billion annually to support the industry, with grants available to theatres to help make payroll, pay for facilities, enhance programming, attract audiences, train workers, and more. AGMA stands firmly behind initiatives like the STAGE Act, legislation that safeguards the very essence of performing arts institutions. Background: During the first National Theatre Week, celebrated April 9-11, 2024, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Senator John Fetterman (D-Pa.), and Senator Jack Reed (D-R.I.) introduced the Supporting Theater and the Arts to Galvanize t... Read More -->

Understanding “Third-Partying” in Union Busting What is third-partying? The foundation of any company's union-busting strategy lies in third-partying unions. It’s happening right now at Miami City Ballet and has been employed numerous times in the past when other AGMA Artists sought to organize. Third-partying is the tactic of presenting a union as an external and negative force, separate from the Artists themselves. This illusion is strategically crafted to make it seem like the union is an organization “coming in” from the outside to disrupt things.  Examples of Some Third-Partying Language Companies Love to Use “The Union will come in and create division!” “The Union is a business that just wants you... Read More -->

The AGMA Black Caucus (ABC) will host its next National Meeting on Tuesday, April 30, at 7:00 p.m. ET (4:00 p.m. PT). All Black AGMA Artists are encouraged to participate! The meeting will center on looking ahead and include an open forum that focuses on navigating situations where uncertainty arises ("What to do when you don't know what to do"). Specifically, it will delve into strategies for addressing micro-aggressions, harassment, and inappropriate workplace behavior.  For anyone interested in becoming more involved with the ABC, the facilitators will share additional information on how to take on a bigger role in the Caucus during this meeting. Please register your intent to attend. After registeri... Read More -->

AGMA members' voices are critical in ensuring members of Congress support the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) funding at $211 million for FY25. It's easy to contact representatives and Senators and tell them to support this funding increase. AGMA has co-sponsored a letter-writing campaign set up by the Department for Professional Employees (DPE) through Action Network. The letter has been drafted, all senders need to do is insert a few details. Congress is already making decisions about next year’s funding for the NEA and NEH and needs to hear from union creative professionals about the need to increase federal arts funding. Send a Letter ... Read More -->

Miami City Ballet Management Held a Captive Audience Meeting on April 9 …Even though they will tell you they didn't. And it may not be their last. Let’s talk about what a Captive Audience Meeting is…and why it is a significant form of union-busting. What is a Captive Audience Meeting? Ever heard of a "Captive Audience Meeting"? Let's break it down. It's a meeting where employees (in this case, the dancers of Miami City Ballet) are required to attend and listen to anti-union messages from their employer (Miami City Ballet). For example, the meeting on April 9 was a scheduled part of the MCB dancers’ day. Only after everyone was in attendance were they told that it was not mandatory, making it effectively a captive m... Read More -->

Miami City Ballet management has begun an aggressive, coordinated union-busting campaign against their dancers, the majority of whom are fighting to unionize. Unsurprisingly, the Company’s union-busting campaign includes the usual condescending communications filled with misinformation, and soon, they will hold their first captive audience meeting (more on that VERY soon). Furthermore, MCB management is trying to circumvent the legal process by denying their dancers the right to a union election. Rather than allowing a straightforward National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) election, affording the Dancers the opportunity to freely express their choice, management is trying to use the legal system to prevent their dancers from ha... Read More -->

AGMA is happy to share two updates regarding its Professional Staff. The Union has hired Ivy Yan as Counsel and has promoted Business Rep Anna Peabody to Senior Negotiator. Ivy Yan Joins AGMA Staff as Counsel Experienced labor lawyer Ivy Yan (she/her) joined the team as Counsel on April 8. Ivy comes to AGMA from McCracken, Stemerman & Holsberry LLP, where her practice focused on union organizing, comprehensive campaigns, arbitration, and litigation to vindicate employees' rights at work. "We are thrilled to welcome Ivy to AGMA’s Professional Staff,” said Interim National Executive Director Allison Beck. “With her extensive background in labor and employment law, Ivy brings a wealth of knowledge and experie... Read More -->

AGMA is issuing an update to our recommendations following the CDC's release of updated guidance regarding respiratory viruses. COVID-19 continues to be a significant public health concern. It's crucial to understand that the CDC's update doesn't signify the eradication of COVID-19 or imply that it no longer poses risks, particularly to specific populations and industries. As always, AGMA's goal is the safety, health, and success of our artists and companies. We thank our members and companies for their patience and collaboration as we continue to maintain health and safety in our workplaces. ... Read More -->

In 2022, AGMA partnered with Savanta to conduct the Union’s first demographic census. On Tuesday, March 26, AGMA’s Choristers, Actors, and Staff Performers Vice President, Helena Brown, along with AGMA’s Director of Communications, Alicia Cook, joined Brittany Grant, another recent client of Savanta, for a DEI Panel hosted by Savanta. “The Second Rise of DE&I” was free to attend and held virtually. Savanta has provided AGMA a recording of the webinar, which members can view on Savanta's website or by logging into MyAGMA and selecting "AGMA Webinars" from the MyAGMA dropdown menu. Savanta moderated the discussion as Helena, Alicia, and Brittany delved into the inherent issues stemming from systemic biases. The... Read More -->