Newsletter Highlights:

• AGMA Releases Updated COVID-19 Guidance
• ACTION ALERT: Tell Your Senators to Fund the NEH and NEA
• Update Regarding the Free College Benefit through Union Plus
• Contract Highlights from Recent Ratifications
• AGMA President’s Letter to Sen. Schumer: The NLRB Needs Funding!
• Dance/NYC Industry Census
• Apply by October: Student Loan Forgiveness Program
• ICYMI: AGMA’s Labor Day Message
• Recap of the September Board of Governors meeting
• ...plus more!

AGMA Releases Updated COVID-19 Guidance

The American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) released an Updated COVID-19 Guidance on September 15. This Updated Guidance is based on the AGMA Expert Medical Advisory Panel’s assessment of the latest CDC COVID recommendations published on August 11, 2022, and the continuing risks that COVID-19 poses for individuals who work in the performing arts. The CDC continues to rely upon the Community Risk Level Framework to help communities decide what prevention steps to take based on the latest data.

As always, the goal of AGMA is the safety, health, and success of its artists and companies. Any proposed changes to existing safety protocols by AGMA Signatory Companies must be reviewed and discussed with your AGMA staff representative prior to implementation.

ACTION ALERT:

Tell Your Senators to Fund the NEH and NEA

In July, the House of Representatives approved $207 million in funding for the NEA and NEH each for FY23. Now, we need the Senate to support this funding level to make it a reality. 

The voices of AGMA members are critical in ensuring that NEA and NEH funding passes the Senate. Contact your Senators and tell them to support this funding. AGMA is participating in this effort as part of DPE, and a letter has already been set up through Action Network. It takes less than two minutes to send a letter.

Hispanic Heritage Month: September 15 - October 15

AGMA celebrates the many Hispanic, Latina, Latino, Latine, Latinx, and Spanish origin Artists who have dedicated their lives and careers to enriching the Performing Arts.

We pay tribute to, and center, the past trailblazers and present trendsetting Artists who have positively strengthened our industry, and the future Artists who will leave their own influential marks as well.

Visit hispanicheritagemonth.gov for more information on the history of this heritage month, which runs from September 15 – October 15.

Update Regarding the Free College Benefit Through Union Plus

Students eligible for the Free College Benefit for the Fall 2022 term are those who had final grade for Spring 22 AND/OR active in courses for Summer 22 OR a new student who registered for Fall 22 courses on or before July 18, 2022. 

On September 2, Union Plus shared that Eastern Gateway Community College (EGCC) filed a complaint against the U.S Department of Education (ED) regarding the Free College Benefit program. This complaint hopes to bring clarification for over thirty-one thousand students awaiting answers regarding future semesters at EGCC, with the Spring 2023 semester opening enrollment in October.

Union Plus is a non-profit and the only consumer benefits organization created and endorsed by the AFL-CIO. Union Plus benefit programs are exclusively for union members (current and retired) and their families. Union Plus offers Hardship Help, as well as financial products, home and auto programs, insurance products, shopping discounts, travel perks, and more.

AGMA Ratifies FIRST Agreement with Nevada Ballet Theatre

The FIRST bargaining agreement between AGMA and Nevada Ballet Theatre was approved by AGMA leadership, after being overwhelmingly ratified by the shop.

This is a very comprehensive first agreement containing impressive compensation and benefit gains, DEI, and safety language, all legal protections including "Pay or Play,” March 1 re-engagement offers and hiring protections regarding a future AD.

Thank you to the negotiating committee and congratulations on this 3-year agreement!

CONTRACT HIGHLIGHTS

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

• Base compensation increases
• 3% - 19.25% in the 1st year
• 3% in years 2 & 3 with the addition of Seniority Pay
• Work Policy provisions, including limiting the use of apprentices and students and compensation and protections for artists engaged as choreographers and rehearsal assistants
• Guarantee of 24 dancers for 26 weeks in year 1 and 25 dancers for 26 weeks thereafter
• Medical Insurance covered from 50% - 100% by the end of the contract term
• Increase in Sick Leave and Personal Leave taken at the artists' discretion
• NEW: Paid Bereavement leave, Jury duty leave, Extended & significant Childbirth/Paternity leave
• Addition of Short-Term Disability of no less than 60% of wages for 12 weeks
• Comprehensive work rules with a commitment to a 5-day workweek. undressing time, rest breaks/spans and schedule & casting posting provisions, costume/shoe language, holidays including the ability to request religious observance
• Access to archival/study films for rehearsal purposes, and highlight reels



DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION (DEI) and SAFETY:

• Harassment Prevention provisions, including:
• Reverse Weingarten rights (Right to union representation when raising concerns about discrimination and harassment), and training
• DEI provisions, including:
• Training
• Allowing every artist to communicate their pronouns
• Gender-neutral lavatories at studios
• Inclusive job postings
• Health and Safety Addendum including National Smoke & Fog policy
• COVID Health & Safety Protocols

AGMA, New York City Ballet Reach 3-Year Agreement [Joint Release!]

Read about this in the New York Times!

The American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) and New York City Ballet (NYCB) reached a new three-year collective bargaining agreement, effective September 1, 2022, and running through August 31, 2025. The AGMA Board of Governors ratified the agreement at its September 6 meeting.

New York City Ballet and the AGMA NYCB Negotiating Committee, representing their fellow company dancers, stage managers, and other artists, came to a mutually beneficial contract. Notably, the three-year agreement restores losses from the economic cuts agreed to in March 2020 at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic which ultimately resulted in a shutdown of 18 months, including the cancellation of 27 weeks of NYCB performances.

The new contract will also formalize and reinforce practices and policies related to NYCB’s ongoing work on diversity, equity, and inclusion, which reflects the deep commitment that AGMA and NYCB share in upholding a workplace culture of safety, inclusion, and belonging These include the continuation of mandatory anti-harassment and anti-discrimination training sessions on an annual basis; codifying the continued use of flesh-tone tights and shoes for ballets that were previously performed in pink tights and shoes; a commitment to eliminating racial stereotypes on stage; and a new commitment to engaging an intimacy director on a pilot basis for the 2022-23 season to assist NYCB’s artists as they rehearse and perform intimate scenes and choreography. 

“AGMA's primary bargaining priorities in negotiations across the country are the financial stability and health of our members, as well as IDEA provisions that create inclusive, just, and safe workplaces,” said Sam Wheeler, AGMA’s National Executive Director. “The new NYCB CBA achieves all of these goals and is a great example of what can be achieved when management and unions work together. Congratulations and thank you to the AGMA NYCB Negotiating Committee, the entire NYCB bargaining unit, and AGMA staffers Wendy LaManque and Brieanna Frye for their work on reaching an exceptional contract.”

In announcing the agreement NYCB Executive Director Katherine Brown and Artistic Director Jonathan Stafford said, “New York City Ballet is pleased to have reached an agreement with AGMA on a new three-year contract for our dancers and stage managers that both provides economic benefits, and continues our important work on creating a respectful and safe workplace for all employees. We are very grateful to AGMA and its negotiating committee for engaging in a productive process to achieve these shared goals in support of our dancers and stage managers.”

AGMA Ratifies 3-Year Agreement with Dallas Opera

The new bargaining agreement between AGMA and the Dallas Opera was approved by AGMA leadership, after being overwhelmingly ratified by the shop.

There have been multiple improvements and additions made in this new contract, particularly when it comes to compensation and benefits and DEI.

Thank you to the negotiating committee and congratulations on this 3-year agreement!

CONTRACT HIGHLIGHTS

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

• Wage increases of 4%, 3%, 3%
• Full Per Diem paid to Principal Artists upon arrival
• New pay structure resulting in additional increases for Regular Choristers with 1-5 years of service
• Increased Retirement Fund contributions
• Increased Per Diem payments
• Additional Leave time for Choristers, Actors, and Dancers
• Additional Compensation for Actors and Dancers for lifting and body makeup
• Additional protections for Solo Dancers
• Increased media payments for all Artists
• Added Fight Directors to the list of Artists covered by the Agreement

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION:

• TDO will provide copies of its DEI policy to all Artists
• TDO will provide annual training to all Artists
• TDO will provide union representation for Artists reporting violations
• TDO will increase the locations where notices of auditions are posted
• TDO will consider underrepresented Artists when making casting and employment decisions
• Elimination of the use of racial stereotypes and the use of make-up to alter an Artist’s identity
• Eliminated restrictions on engaging Artists from countries outside of the United States

AGMA Ratifies 3-Year Agreement with Kansas City Ballet

The new bargaining agreement between AGMA and Kansas City Ballet was approved by AGMA leadership, after being overwhelmingly ratified by the shop.

Thank you to the negotiating committee and congratulations on this 3-year agreement!

CONTRACT HIGHLIGHTS

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

• First year wage increases of 6% to 12%
• An additional 4% in each of the following two years
• Increases in additional compensation
• Increases in Seniority Pay
• Compensation for social media takeovers
• Full Salary for Dancers who cannot work due to pregnancy
• 4 weeks maternity/paternity leave at full pay and an additional 6 weeks maternity leave at 50%

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION:

Increased DEI provisions, including:

• Affirmative language in the contract with commitments to foster a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace, as well language on ending Racial Stereotyping
• Commitment to engage a DEI consultant to work with KCB on developing and implementing DEI policies, and including AGMA in that process
• Annual distribution of KCB anti-harassment-DEI policies to all AGMA Artists, which includes the process for reporting violations of the policy and specific steps for advising choreographers and others of anti-racism policies and expectations for conduct while working at KCB
• Reverse Weingarten rights (Right to union representation when raising concerns about discrimination and harassment)
• Expanded posting of auditions
• Awareness and sensitivity to skin and hair color and type

AGMA Ratifies 2-Year Agreement with Washington Concert Opera

The new collective bargaining agreement between AGMA and Washington Concert Opera was approved by AGMA leadership, after being overwhelmingly ratified by the shop.

There have been multiple additions and enhancements to the contract language, including improvements under compensation and benefits and new DEI, anti-harassment, and anti-discrimination language.

Thank you to the negotiating committee and congratulations on this 2-year agreement!

CONTRACT HIGHLIGHTS

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

• Wage increases: 1% and 2%
• $25 transportation stipend
• Extra paid break time for nursing Artists
• Meal allowance for visiting Principal Artists
• Increase in max hours for Production Staff from 38 to 50 hours for chorus shows, 30 hours for non-chorus shows, and additional hours compensated at hourly rate
• Archival streaming to high-level donors only with notice and must meet all AGMA waiver conditions, which are included in CBA (notice to Artists, protection from downloading, access to recording by Artists, compensation equivalent to orchestra, individual credit, 30-day max., etc.)

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, and SAFETY:

• Gender-neutral pronouns throughout CBA
• New DEI language and complaint process
• New Discrimination and Harassment language
• Reverse Weingarten Rights (Right to union representation when raising concerns about discrimination and harassment)
• New Safety and Health language

AGMA Ratifies 3-Year Agreement with Washington National Opera

The new collective bargaining agreement between AGMA and Washington National Opera was approved by AGMA leadership, after being overwhelmingly ratified by the shop.

Let’s celebrate some gains! There have been multiple additions and enhancements to the contract language that improve the working lives of all the Company’s Artists!

Thank you to the negotiating committee and congratulations on this 3-year agreement!

CONTRACT HIGHLIGHTS

GENERAL COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

• Wages snap back to final year of previous CBA (prior to pandemic concessions) plus increases in wages and per diem of +3%, +3%, +2%
• 2-3 days paid bereavement leave
• Comprehensive new media provisions with new rates and increases over term

PRINCIPAL ARTISTS:

• Per diem fees broken out in IAA
• Full per diem on arrival if requested at time of contracting
• 10%+ increase in overtime compensation
• Tentative schedule of free days, room run, orchestra and on-stage rehearsals

PRODUCTION STAFF:

• Minimum overnight break increased from 10 to 11 hours; only two 10-hour breaks per production
• Overtime after 58 hours or 9 hours in any day
• Increased overtime rate by 15% with annual increases (no longer tied to Principal Artists)

CHORUS/CORPS DANCERS:

• Chorus 90% rehire
• Releases granted for other employment even if not full-time
• New excused absences for dancers
• Earlier dancer notice of engagement
• New language to address other dancer safety concerns

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, and SAFETY:

• Comprehensive new DEI language
• New Discrimination & Harassment language
• Reverse Weingarten rights (Right to union representation when raising concerns about discrimination and harassment)
• Gender-neutral pronouns throughout CBA
• New Safety and Health provisions
• New provision requiring engagement of Fight Director
• New provision requiring engagement of Intimacy Director
• New Joint-Labor Management Committee provision

AGMA President’s Letter to Sen. Schumer: The NLRB Needs Funding!

AGMA President Ray Menard sent a letter to Senator Schumer on August 29, 2022. The letter expresses AGMA’s strong support for funding the National Labor Relations Board. AGMA’s recent experiences with NLRB delays underscore why properly resourcing the Board is urgently needed, and it is all outlined in the letter.



AGMA relies on the National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB”, or, “the Board”) to administer elections for new bargaining units and to rectify violations of the National Labor Relations Act (“NLRA” or the “Act”), both by AGMA signatory companies and by non-union employers operating in the performing arts.

Metropolitan Area Dance Workers:

Submit the "Dance/NYC Dance Industry Census" and Get Counted

DANCE/NYC has officially launched its Dance Industry Census. This comprehensive research study aims to better understand the size, makeup, health, and state of the dance ecosystem in the metropolitan New York City area in order to address economic inequities in the field and ensure that all dance workers are recognized and represented.

Participants will be able to submit the survey through October 31, 2022. Greater metropolitan area AGMA members working in the dance industry (like dancers, staging staff, teachers, choreographers, dance therapists, etc.) are encouraged to add their voices.

An FAQ is available here. Complete the survey at Dance.NYC/DanceIndustryCensus to be counted as a member of the NYC dance community.

Any questions should be directed to DANCE/NYC.

As a reminder, we have enhanced our online presence and remain committed to sharing auditions and relevant job postings with our members on our website.

The audition and job listings webpage was completely redesigned in May 2021. We continue to remind all AGMA signatory companies to send us any upcoming postings to help make sure that thousands of AGMA Artists are aware of job listings and auditions in a timely manner.

ICYMI: AGMA's Labor Day Message

Earlier this summer, it was widely reported that U.S. workers are unionizing their workplaces at the highest rate in almost a decade, a rise that reflects warming public attitudes toward unions.

Over Labor Day Weekend, AGMA celebrated both the bright future of the labor movement and the storied history that got us here.

The AGMA Staging Staff Caucus will host a Health Insurance Seminar on Monday, November 14 at 9:00 p.m. ET. National Director of Health Services for the Entertainment Community Fund Renata Marinaro, LMSW, will present and answer questions. 

Marinaro has dedicated her career to counseling professionals in the entertainment and performing arts industry nationwide on health care coverage options.

Members of AGMA’s staging staff community will receive more information on this seminar in the near future! Register here.

Please reach out to the Staging Staff Caucus by emailing [email protected].

The next meeting will be announced at a later date. Email [email protected] with any questions!

The next meeting of the Opera & Concert Choristers Caucus (OCCC) will be on Wednesday, October 19. More information about the meeting will be shared in the near future. Please email [email protected] with any questions!

September 6, 2022

A regularly scheduled video meeting of the Board of Governors of the American Guild of Musical Artists was called to order on Tuesday, September 6, 2022, around 3:00 p.m. ET.

National Executive Director Sam Wheeler presented the following report.

The Board approved four new Schedule C classifications and one revision during the Work Rules and Contracts Committee report: New classifications: The Boatswain’s Mate; Manru; Šárka; El último sueño de Frida y Diego; Revised classification: Silent Night. 

During the President's Report, President Menard reported on AGMA's presence at the Labor Day Parade and announced that the Census Working Group will be presenting at the October meeting.

The Finance and Budget Committee reported that the Committee met on September 1 where they received reports on the new headquarters, our new membership system, and operations, as well as reviewed the 2nd quarter financials. No actions were taken at the meeting. The Committee also reviewed the timeline and process for planning and budgeting for the next fiscal year.

The Membership and Member Relations Committee reminded everyone that the latest issue of AGMAzine has been published.

During New Business, it was reported that an AGMA Relief Night was held at Citi Field on August 30. Mets vs. LA Dodgers. 

Since September 2020, the policies of the AGMA Board of Governors have been readily available on the website. As first announced in early October 2020, to access the policies, you will need to first log in to MyAGMA.

To find from the MyAGMA website menu dropdown:

MyAGMA-->Policies and Procedures-->Policies of the AGMA Board of Governors

The Entertainment Community Fund

As an AGMA member, you are able to access The Fund’s broad spectrum of programs, workshops, and other online resources.

The Fund has built offerings spanning from personalized health insurance counseling and other social services to career counseling, employment training, and job development.

Their calendar of webinars covers topics like mental health, mindfulness, and finance, and career management, with specific gatherings for members of the LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, and AAPI communities.

All of their offerings support the unique, essential needs of all who work in entertainment and the performing arts.

Union Plus

Union Plus is a non-profit and the ONLY consumer benefits organization created and endorsed by the AFL-CIO. Union Plus benefit programs are exclusively for union members (current and retired) and their families.

Union Plus offers Hardship Help, as well as financial products, home and auto programs, insurance products, shopping discounts, travel perks, and more. 

We encourage you to sign-up for email alerts from Union Plus in order to receive Union Plus newsletters.