Broadway musicians of AFM Local 802 have “overwhelmingly” voted to authorize a strike if needed in the ongoing negotiations for a production contract with the Broadway League.
The union’s strike authorization vote closed last night, and results were tallied soon after. The vote count was 98% in favor of strike authorization if necessary.
In its announcement of the authorization, Local 802 said the League, which represents producers and theater owners, “continues to demand unacceptable wages and reduced jobs and benefits in the current contract talks.”
Local 802 President Bob Suttmann said, “On the heels of the most successful season in history, the Broadway League wants the working musicians and artists who fueled that very success to accept wage cuts, threats to healthcare benefits, and potential job losses. Faced with such an egregious erosion of their working conditions, Local 802 Broadway musicians and other artists are ready to leverage every ounce of their collective power, up to and including a strike. Committing to anything less would mean sacrificing far too many hard-won gains.”
Musicians have been working without a contract on Broadway since August 31 and continue to negotiate with the Broadway League and have bargaining talks scheduled in the next few days.
The League also is in negotiations with Actors’ Equity, which reps stage actors and stage managers. Talks for a new Equity production contract will continue later the week after two days of mediation last week failed to produce an agreement. Equity members, like 802, have authorized union leaders to strike if necessary.
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