The American Guild of Musical Artists is pleased to report that the stage managers of Des Moines Metro Opera have unionized with AGMA, joining other top national opera companies in the country.
“The stage managers of Des Moines Metro Opera thank DMMO management for voluntarily recognizing our union with AGMA,” read a statement from DMMO stage managers. “We believe this collaborative partnership will continue to flourish as we bargain our first AGMA contract. We are incredibly supportive of the growth of Des Moines Metro Opera in recent years and join with everyone at DMMO in celebrating our 50th anniversary season.”
DMMO agreed to voluntarily recognize the Union upon a successful card check. On Friday, June 3, an official, anonymous card check was conducted by a neutral third party over Zoom with representatives from both AGMA and Des Moines Metro Opera present.
“We are so excited for these artists, and we congratulate them on winning their union,” said Sam Wheeler, National Executive Director of AGMA. “We thank DMMO for respecting their employees' wishes to unionize and engaging in a card check to certify the new bargaining unit. With organizing efforts across the country at an all-time high, the stage managers of DMMO know that while they are the first opera company in two decades to organize, they will not be the last.”
“Des Moines Metro Opera respects the decision of its stage manager and assistant stage manager employees to seek collective representation," Michael Egel, The Linda Koehn General & Artistic Director of the Des Moines Metro Opera. "DMMO will bargain in good faith with AGMA in the future.”
AGMA is now the exclusive bargaining representative of the stage managers of DMMO. Negotiations for a first contract are expected to commence in the near future.