Playbill: On October 18, following weeks of tense negotiations that also included the threat of a strike, the actors-stage managers union Actors' Equity Association and the Broadway League came to an agreement on the details of a new Broadway work contract. On October 22, details of the new three-year Production Contract were released to Equity's membership, who have until October 30 to vote on whether or not to adopt the new contract.
5 comments:
Seeing pay raises in this industry always makes me happy. It makes me feel more appreciated for the work that we do, and I think especially now a lot of the fields that exist in theater require a ton more knowledge and education. I think one of the most undervalued is sound engineers and designers, it's seriously tough stuff, and there's so much theory involved with it that it's seriously difficult to get into the design sector of sound without a formal education now. There's so much physics behind what we do, and now for live sound most of it has become digital, and now we need to understand computer networking in order to properly run our equipment. It's just become so advanced that I think we need to have our pay increased, and we aren't the only ones in the industry that deserve more. I think riggers especially now need to get some sort of raise, their work is so incredibly laborious.
This seems like a great step in the correct direction. To be honest, I am not fully aware of all the business side of Actors' Equity and what an average union contract consists of. I am excited to hear about how they are getting a pay increase. I think it is a wonderful ask and idea that physical therapy be something that is provided by the contract. A performer's daily tasks are extremely draining on the body and muscles, just the same as any other athlete. Their body is their job, and if their body is out of commission, they won’t be making money, because their bodies are their job, and the long hours. I think that it is only fair that some sort is balance and care is needed. This might even save Broadway some money at the end of the day, if the performers stay healthy and working, then they won’t have to pay more for swings and understudys to go on for the principal actors.
A step in the right direction! I would definitely say that this new contract is providing a new level of needs within the industry that will hopefully become beneficial to the members a part of the Actors Equity. Though the pay increase is only three percent, it will still add up over the amount worked. New York is a very expensive place to live, so this increase is part of the goal. The health benefits also included in the new contract are great because I feel like this was the bare minimum. Actors are out there 6 days a week, giving their all on the stage, using their voice and bodies can be exhausting and can cause health concerns. The idea that their health benefits are improving is really great to hear. The idea of exactly having days off without feeling penalized or guilty is also really nice. I don't really know much about this, but only getting one day off is kinda crazy. This idea of paid leave is also a really nice addition to the contract again, because New York is expensive. I also want to highlight how they are trying to incorporate more sustainable practices when dealing with playbills and changes in casting for that show.
The almost-strike with these contract negotiations between the Broadway League and Actors’ Equity as well as with the Broadway musician’s union has been pretty major news recently, so I was definitely interested in reading a more detailed article about the negotiations and what ended up in the proposed contract. I definitely expected the parts about health care and general pay raises, especially since from my understanding those were some of the biggest things going into contract negotiations, but one piece that really stood out was the section about stage managers being able to request a bigger stage management team if the show needed it for whatever reason. With how theatrical technology has progressed and how shows that are known for “insane technical stuff” are becoming more popular, I could definitely see this being something really valuable to ensure that shows run smoothly backstage. Additionally, I definitely think we as a society can probably get past the program paper inserts thing, and that QR codes for cast changes aren’t a bad idea.
I’m really glad to see the strike was able to be averted and that they could come to an agreement. I will say, it is pretty crazy that this issue even came to be. With how inflation has affected people already you would think that Broadway League would have addressed themselves sooner rather than later. Especially with the fact how physically demanding performing in a show can be, there are bound to be injuries at some point. I found it really nice that swings get an additional six percent pay increase along with 3 percent. I mean it makes sense with the amount of roles they have to prepare for in case of emergencies, it’s just good to see that work being acknowledged as well. It was also awesome to see the support for stage management requesting additional staffing if they feel the show is technically advanced for the team they have now. I didn’t even think that was an issue, but I am glad it’s fixed.
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