Broadway’s popular shows are set to continue following a tentative agreement between the musicians’ union and the Broadway League, which has prevented a possible strike. Today, Local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians announced that nearly two dozen musicals will avoid interruption. According to ABC 7 New York, the musicians had been working without a contract since August, with tensions rising until a mediator assisted in reaching an agreement.
Local 802 President Bob Suttmann reported that union solidarity resulted in the prompt approval of a three-year agreement at 4:30 a.m., just before a strike was scheduled to begin. "This three-year agreement provides meaningful wage and health benefit increases that will preserve crucial access to healthcare for our musicians while maintaining the strong contract protections that empower musicians to build a steady career on Broadway," Suttmann told NBC New York. Nearly all productions featuring live musicians, with the exception of "Ragtime," were expected to stop if the strike had proceeded.
The contract details have not been publicly disclosed but are reported to include wage and health benefit increases, which were among the union members' main concerns. The agreement also includes contributions to the health fund. Union members will have the chance to vote on ratifying the contract. Productions such as Hamilton, Wicked, and The Lion King were among the shows expected to be affected by a potential strike, according to ABC 7 New York.
This agreement follows a recent labor settlement in the Broadway community. The Actors’ Equity Association, representing more than 51,000 members including actors, singers, dancers, and stage managers, finalized a new three-year contract with producers last weekend.
