The show must go on!
On Thursday, Broadway musicians reached a preliminary collective bargaining agreement with theater owners, which effectively puts a stop to a looming strike that threatened to shut down about two dozen musicals.
The American Federation of Musicians Local 802, representing around 1,200 musicians, announced that the deal with the Broadway League includes increased wages and a boost in contributions to their health fund.
In a statement, the union expressed excitement about the tentative agreement, noting they finalized it at 4:30 a.m. to prevent a strike that was set for later that day. “This three-year agreement offers significant wage increases and health benefits that will ensure musicians maintain vital access to healthcare, while also providing robust contract protections to support sustainable careers on Broadway,” they shared.
The union had previously threatened to strike if the contract issues with commercial producers weren’t resolved by Thursday.
The possible strike had the potential to silence major productions like “Hamilton” and “The Lion King.” Now, the tentative agreement will be presented to members for their approval. Interestingly, this deal marks the second agreement within a week; the Actors’ Equity Association revealed over the weekend that a new three-year deal was signed with producers for its 51,000 members.
It’s worth mentioning that the musicians’ contract expired on August 31, while the equity contract lapsed on September 28.
Both groups had been pushing for improved wages, better health insurance, and safeguards against temporary layoffs, especially considering the thriving economy.
Interestingly, the Broadway League reported that theaters raked in $1.89 billion in box office revenue for the 2024-25 season, which is a 23% increase from the previous year, attracting an impressive 14.7 million attendees—making it the second-highest attended season ever.
