Actors’ Equity Association, the national union representing more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers working in live theater, and the Broadway League, the national trade association for the Broadway industry, have reached a three-year collective bargaining agreement for a new contract governing touring productions. The agreement remains subject to ratification now by Equity members in a vote by electronic ballot.
The negotiating teams were in discussion for nearly 24 hours, according to a press representative for Actors’ Equity, who added that further details of the agreement are not currently available, and may not be made public ahead of ratification.
As previously announced, on April 3, the National Council of Actors’ Equity Association authorized the union’s executive director and lead negotiator, Al Vincent, Jr., to call a strike on all Broadway League tours should an agreement not be reached soon. Equity and the League had been in bargaining sessions for the past two months regarding a new touring contract. The current contract expired on February 5 and union members had been working according to terms of the out-of-date contract. This type of contract sets pay minimums and includes provisions for tour date scheduling, benefits and more.
A representative for the Broadway League added no further comment outside of providing the joint announcement regarding the tentative agreement.
