Actor and stage manager union Actors' Equity Association has ratified a new four-year contract with the Off-Broadway League, with the new terms set to enact beginning July 28. The contract will remain in place through July 28, 2028.
A tentative agreement was reached June 13, following 12 days of negotiating. The new terms include increased salaries, changes to how overtime is calculated, expanded opportunities for digital exhibition of productions, expanded paid time off, expanded diversity, equity, and inclusion protections, and expanded cleaning protocols. The groups are still working on establishing intimacy protocols and provisions for touring.
The timing of this contract's ratification comes as the union continues to face issues getting an agreement for development contracts. Following a break down in negotiations with The Broadway League, AEA was forced to put all new development agreements on pause as of June 17, just days after this Off-Broadway agreement was tentatively reached.
"The new Off-Broadway Agreement is proof of what can be accomplished at the bargaining table when both sides bring respect and a positive attitude," say Equity Off-Broadway negotiating team co-chairs Bernita Robinson and Richard Topol in a joint statement. "After hearing from our fellow members, we sat down to negotiate knowing what our ultimate goals were. ...[W]e thank our partners across the table for working with us in such a positive manner. We are hopeful that this deal with help the Off-Broadway theatre community continue to thrive."
"These last few years have been an incredibly challenging time for our entire industry, and our members worked diligently to come up with solutions and new flexible models that would support a thriving Off-Broadway scene, and create more work opportunities," add the Off-Broadway League's negotiating team co-chairs Pamela Adams, Dean Carpenter, Joey Monda, and Evan O'Brient. "We found a true partnership with our Equity co-chairs, and are pleased we found common ground and reached a new four-year deal together."
