Strike Averted: Actors’ Equity Reaches Tentative Deal With Broadway League

Actors’ Equity Association has reached a tentative agreement with The Broadway League on a new Production Contract, temporarily avoiding a strike. The announcement of the deal, which followed an extended overnight negotiation session, was made by union leadership on Saturday morning.

Al Vincent, Jr., Actors’ Equity executive director and lead negotiator, confirmed the agreement, stating the deal was reached after a "marathon mediation session lasting until 6 a.m." The Production Contract covers stage actors and stage managers working on Broadway productions. Negotiations for the new contract have been underway since August 25, following the expiration of the previous three-year agreement on September 28. Equity members had previously voted to authorize a strike.

The proposed three-year contract addresses key priorities for the union members. According to Vincent, the agreement successfully “saves the Equity-League Health Fund” while making progress on other crucial points, including adjustments to scheduling and improved access to physical therapy. The deal will now be presented to Equity members for ratification.

Discussions leading up to the agreement were centered on several key points of contention, including:

• Health Care Contributions: The amount producers are required to contribute to the union’s health care fund.

• Staffing Levels: Equity’s push for the increased hiring of additional swings (performers who cover absent roles) and backup personnel for stage managers, a concern amplified by post-COVID-19 absenteeism.

• Actor Schedules: Adjustments to actor schedules, particularly concerning the year-end holiday weeks when theaters typically add extra performances.

  
  

While Actors' Equity has secured an agreement, attention is now directed toward the ongoing contract negotiations between The Broadway League and the musicians' union, AFM Local 802.

In a corresponding statement, Local 802 President Robert Suttmann acknowledged the potential agreement reached by their counterparts but confirmed that their own negotiations remain unresolved. "Local 802 is still in negotiation for a fair contract, and everything remains on the table, including a strike,” Suttmann stated. Vincent confirmed that Actors' Equity is now offering its "full support" to Local 802 as the musicians work to reach their own agreement and prevent a strike.