Labor unions representing some of the Broadway crew have reached a tentative agreement on new contracts with theater owners as union members vote to approve a potential strike. announced Thursday.
The deal involved some of the Broadway employees covered by the so-called “pink contract”, including some 1,500 stagehands, costumers, make-up artists and hairdressers. These workers’ strikes, which involve 45 theater performances, including touring performances, and 28 Broadway performances, will shut down much of the industry, especially if theater workers affiliated with other unions join together. It would have been possible.
The interim agreement was announced in a joint statement between the union, the International Theater Employee Alliance and the Broadway League, a trade association representing theater owners and producers. Disney Theatrical, which produces films such as “Aladdin” and “The Lion King,” is also part of the deal. It targets crew members who carry pink travel cards that signify their ability to unionize in various jurisdictions.
“The strike was averted, but the deal is still subject to approval by union members,” union spokesman Jonas Loeb said in a statement.
Loeb said the union has been in negotiations for about two months, including this week’s 19-hour marathon session, and one of the major dead ends is the minimum payout rate for Broadway staff.
As Hollywood writers and actors continue to strike, the theater workers’ strike will likely add to the labor unrest that has roiled the American entertainment industry.
