CHICAGO—The members of the Chicago Symphony Chorus (CSC), represented by the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA), and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association (CSOA) have reached an agreement on a new five-year contract. The musicians of the CSC, members of the national AGMA Board of Directors and the Board of Trustees of the CSOA have voted to ratify the agreement, which is effective from September 2019 through September 2024. The five-year agreement includes improvements in working conditions for both parties and wage increases of 13.7% over the five years of the contract. Negotiations between the CSOA and the CSC, represented by AGMA, took place from September through November 2019 with the parties reaching a tentative agreeme... Read More -->

Last week the stage managers of Pacific Northwest Ballet (PNB) in Seattle, Washington voted unanimously to join the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA).   The election was conducted by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).  AGMA already represents the dancers at PNB and the production staff will constitute a separate bargaining unit. "We the Stage Managers of PNB are thrilled and proud to be officially represented by AGMA.  We thank Nora Heiber (AGMA Western Executive), Leonard Egert (AGMA National Executive Director), and Andrew H. Baker (Outside Counsel) for all of their hard work to help make this happen," stated the stage managers of Pacific Northwest Ballet.   “I welcome the production staff of PNB into... Read More -->

Last night, the dancers of Nevada Ballet Theatre (NBT) voted by an overwhelming majority to form a union with the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA).  The secret ballot vote took place at the NBT studios and was overseen by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).  On October 28th, AGMA requested that NBT voluntarily recognize the union as the exclusive bargaining representative for the dancers, upon verification of majority support.   NBT management refused to recognize the dancers’ union, however, and instead initiated an anti-union campaign, prompting AGMA to request the NLRB election. “For the past three weeks the dancers of NBT have been subjected to an aggressive anti-union campaign waged agains... Read More -->

With an overwhelming majority of support, the dancers of Nevada Ballet Theatre (NBT) have signed cards to form a union and join the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA).   In a letter to the management of NBT, the dancers stated “This is a decision made in the interest of longevity and artistic achievement for the company, mutually beneficial working relationships, and long-term health.  As dancers, the lifeblood of this organization, we hold ourselves and the company to a high standard and believe our decision will elevate the company to a nationally recognized institution.” “Nevada Ballet Theatre is a fantastic company of high-level dancers who have devoted their lives to this important art form,” said Len E... Read More -->

At The American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) Board of Governors meeting on October 14, 2019, the Board ratified Arizona Opera’s most recent collective bargaining agreement. The new agreement provides for a raise of 10.3% over three years and increases benefits related to family care, which includes time to care for spouses, domestic partners, children, siblings and grandparents, in addition to other economic and non-economic improvements. “Our goal in this negotiation was focused on improving certain quality of life issues, since our members live and perform in two cities (Phoenix and Tucson). The improvements in scheduling and accommodations, as well as a raise, will make a real difference for us,” said John Kraft, a member of... Read More -->

On September 6, 2019, AGMA announced that the union had retained an independent investigator to investigate allegations of sexual harassment and discrimination made by AGMA members against Plácido Domingo.  In addition to interviewing our members, we hope to identify any systemic failures within the opera industry which may have allowed the alleged conduct to continue for decades. Today, AGMA learned that Mr. Domingo has resigned as General Director of the Los Angeles Opera.   AGMA's independent investigation will continue despite Mr. Domingo's resignation. "Our internal investigation has never been just about allegations against one individual," said AGMA National Director Len Egert. "AGMA is committed to confronting systemic proble... Read More -->

AGMA’s internal investigation regarding the allegations of harassment and discrimination against Plácido Domingo is underway and ongoing.  We anticipate that the investigation will take ​two to three months to conduct and we cannot comment on specifics. ​In the past few weeks, AGMA has reached out to our members across the country about issues of harassment and discrimination in the workplace.  AGMA has been in regular communication with artists and union leaders at affected locations, including Los Angeles Opera and the Metropolitan Opera.  We have encouraged our members to come to the union as a resource to redress and eliminate sexual harassment in the workplace. For example, AGMA members at the Los Angeles Opera... Read More -->

The new contract will cover professional singers performing at concerts at Westwood Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles and will be effective immediately. Los Angeles, CA (September 18, 2019) – The American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) announced today that the union has ratified a Collective Bargaining Agreement for the principal singers of Music at Westwood of the Westwood Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles, California.  The Church presents to the public four concerts a year of both secular and liturgical music (see https://www.westwoodpres.org/worship-music/music-at-westwood).   The new three-year agreement, the first of its kind for AGMA-covered artists, establishes market rates for concert work with significant raises over ... Read More -->

AGMA has retained J. Bruce Maffeo of Cozen O’Connor to conduct the Union's investigation into the multiple allegations of sexual harassment and discrimination against Plácido Domingo. Today the American Guild of Musical Artists (“AGMA”) opened its own independent investigation into the multiple allegations of sexual harassment and discrimination against Plácido Domingo. AGMA has retained J. Bruce Maffeo of Cozen O’Connor, a former federal prosecutor, to conduct the Union’s internal investigation. Mr. Maffeo has extensive experience conducting similar investigations on behalf of labor unions. This week the Associated Press published new disturbing allegations of sexual harassment and assault against Mr. Domingo. In the wak... Read More -->

Professional artists performing at Music of Westwood concert events at Westwood Presbyterian Church of Los Angeles have chosen AGMA as their exclusive bargaining representative Los Angeles, CA (July 23, 2019) – The American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) is proud to announce today that it will now represent the principal singers of Music at Westwood, of the Westwood Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles.  Based on the unanimous vote of support of its singers, Music at Westwood, the musical non-profit choral concert group at Westwood Presbyterian Church, has voluntarily recognized AGMA as the exclusive bargaining representative of the artists for concert performances.  We applaud this decision by the organization, and acknowle... Read More -->