NEW YORK — NEW YORK (AP) — The union representing Broadway musicians reached a tentative labor agreement Thursday with commercial producers. preventing a potentially devastating impact it would silence nearly two dozen musicals.
The American Federation of Musicians Local 802, which represents 1,200 musicians, threatened a strike if they don't have a new contract by this morning after going to mediation on Wednesday.
Early Thursday, the union said it had reached a tentative agreement that includes wage increases and increased health fund contributions.
“This three-year agreement provides significant increases in wages and health benefits that will preserve critical access to health care for our musicians while maintaining strong contract protections that give musicians the opportunity to build sustainable careers on Broadway,” AFM Local 802 President Bob Suttmann said in a statement.
Among the 23 series that might have remained silent were megahits like “Hamilton” and “The Lion King” and newcomers like “The Queen of Versailles” and “Chess,” which are still in previews. Games would not be affected automatically.
It was the second Broadway job deal in less than a week. Labor tensions were already looking cool after the Actors' Equity Association, which represents more than 51,000 members including singers, actors, dancers and directors, announced a new three-year agreement with producers over the weekend.
Members of both unions were working under expired contracts. The musicians' contract expired on August 31, and the share contract expired on September 28.
The health of Broadway was once in great doubt due to the coronavirus pandemic the fact that cinemas were closed for about 18 months is now a very good thing, at least in terms of box office receipts. It's been a long way back since the days when the theaters closed and the future looked bleak, but the 2024-2025 season. earned $1.9 billion — its most profitable season in history, surpassing the previous pre-pandemic high of $1.8 billion in 2018-19.
The unions pointed to Broadway's financial condition and argued that producers could afford to increase salaries and benefits for musicians and actors. Producers, represented by the Broadway League, countered that Broadway's restored health could be jeopardized by potential ticket price hikes to meet demands.
The most recent major strike on Broadway occurred in late 2007, when a 19-day strike by stagehands turned out the lights at more than two dozen shows and cost producers and the city millions of dollars in lost revenue.
On Wednesday, the three U.S. senators from New York and New Jersey — Democrats Kirsten Gillibrand, Cory Booker and Andy Kim — wrote to both sides urging them to “engage in good faith negotiations and continue to communicate.” The senators noted that Broadway supports approximately 100,000 jobs and is “an important cornerstone of the economic well-being of surrounding businesses and sectors, including hospitality, retail and transportation.”
