Management and employees agree on lower wages

After the conclusion of a salary agreement in May with the union which represents choristers, singers soloists, dancers, directors, assistant directors, stage managers and salaried artists, the management of the Met Opera would have finished negotiations with that of the stage employees. The agreement must be ratified on Tuesday.

A reduction in wages limited to 3%

On June 14, the management of the Met Opera and the officials of the International Alliance of Theatrical Scene Employees (IATSE) finally began negotiations concerning the reduction in the wages of nearly 800 employees concerned, deprived of work (lockout) since December 2020. An agreement was concluded on Saturday July 2, according to information reported by the Agency Associated Press and the site Operawire. At the end of this agreement, concluded 5 days before the deadline, the reduction in salary would be limited to 3% and that of bonuses to 4.5% over 3 years.

Read also

Once again, we are far from the 30% reduction that management initially wanted to impose on its employees to rectify the accounts of the New York institution, which was deprived of public activity for more than a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. (276 performances plus one international tour canceled). Already in mid-May, the AGMA (American Guild of Musical Artists) had reached an agreement which limited the salary cuts for the staff it represents to a range of 6 to 12.7%.

The Met Opera will perform Verdi’s requiem on September 11 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the 2001 attacks

The only thing left now is the agreement to be reached with local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians (AFM), which represents the orchestra, whose current company agreement expires on July 31. The Met Opera has announced its intention to resume on September 11 with a performance of the Requiem by Giuseppe Verdi to mark the 20th anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks. The official 2021/2022 season is set to begin September 27 with the premiere at Lincoln Center of Fire Shut Up in My Bones by composer Terence Blanchard.

Philippe Gault

Retropen the news of Classic

–