Actors' Equity Association And Off-Broadway League Reach New Collective Bargaining Agreement
The parties agreed to terms on issues ranging from salaries to safety provisions.
By: A.A. Cristi Jul. 22, 2024
Actors' Equity Association and the Off-Broadway League have ratified a new four-year collective bargaining agreement.
Negotiations began on May 15 and took place over the course of 12 days. To ensure a collaborative and productive process, Equity and the League prefaced formal bargaining with three days to articulate top priorities and set rules of engagement.
Both sides reached a tentative agreement on June 13, over a month before the old agreement was set to expire. The new agreement begins on July 28, 2024 and expires on July 28, 2028.
Together, the parties agreed to salary increases, changes to overtime calculation, increased compensation and requirements for understudies and stage managers, continued and expanded opportunities for digital exhibition of League productions, expanded time off and sick leave provisions, as well as expanded diversity, equity and inclusion protections and safe and sanitary provisions. The parties are committed to continuing the conversation to create intimacy protocols and are still working to create provisions for touring.
Quote from the Off-Broadway League Negotiating Team Co-Chairs, Pamela Adams, Dean Carpenter, Joey Monda and Evan O'Brient:
“These last few years have been an incredibly challenging time for our entire industry, and our members worked diligently to come up with solutions and new flexible models that would support a thriving Off-Broadway scene, and create more work opportunities. We found a true partnership with our Equity co-chairs, and are pleased we found common ground and reached a new four-year deal together.”
Equity's co-chairs of the Off-Broadway Negotiating Team, Bernita Robinson and Richard Topol, issued the following statement:
"The new Off-Broadway Agreement is proof of what can be accomplished at the bargaining table when both sides bring respect and a positive attitude. After hearing from our fellow members, we sat down to negotiate knowing what our ultimate goals were.
“We as co-chairs are proud of the many gains made across the board with regard to wages, safety and working conditions, especially for stage managers and understudies. And we thank our partners across the table for working with us in such a positive manner. We are hopeful that this deal with help the Off-Broadway theatre community continue to thrive."
About Actors' Equity Association
ACTORS' EQUITY ASSOCIATION, founded in 1913, is the U.S. labor union that represents more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers. Equity endeavors to advance the careers of its members by negotiating wages, improving working conditions and providing a wide range of benefits (health and pension included). Member: AFL-CIO, FIA. www.actorsequity.org #EquityWorks
About the Off-Broadway League
The Off-Broadway League was founded in 1959 to foster theatrical productions produced in Off-Broadway theatres, to assist in the voluntary exchange of information among its members, and to serve as the collective voice of its membership in pursuit of these goals.
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