New York -- Actors’ Equity Association, the national labor union representing more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers in live theatre, and the League of Resident Theatres (LORT), the largest professional theatre association of its kind in the United States, have ratified a new four-and-a-half-year agreement.
Key provisions of the contract include meaningful salary increases and growth in all three job categories: chorus, principals and stage managers. The new agreement also widens equity, diversity and inclusion protections, including regarding hair styling and costuming, and expands protection surrounding bullying, discrimination and harassment. The contract also expands flexibility in media and community outreach, enabling theatres to rebuild and grow audiences. The contract also creates additional opportunities for the development of new artistic work at LORT houses.
“This agreement demonstrates that despite the hardships of the pandemic, we can build a stronger theatre industry for the workers,” said Equity Assistant Executive Director Andrea Hoeschen, who served as lead negotiator for the union on this agreement. “We are grateful to LORT for working with us to create an agreement that increases wages and job opportunities as well as expanding worker protections. We are optimistic that this agreement will also afford LORT opportunities to recover from the pandemic and expand their audiences moving forward.”
“In these very challenging and contentious times, the ratification of this new agreement proves that we can achieve better results overall by working together toward a common goal. LORT is deeply grateful to everyone that participated in this process and to the memberships of both the union and our association for their mutual appreciation and ratification of this agreement,” said LORT President Adam Siegel.
LORT is one of the largest employers of Equity members along with the Production Contract, and the largest not-for-profit employer, with 79 member Theatres located in every major market in the U.S., including 30 states and the District of Columbia. This agreement comes after negotiations over the course of February and March. The tentative agreement was unanimously recommended for approval by Equity’s negotiating committee and then recommended by Equity’s National Council before heading to membership for final ratification. Members who worked on LORT during the previous contract cycle voted overwhelmingly for the new agreement, with 95% in favor.
ACTORS' EQUITY ASSOCIATION, founded in 1913, is the U.S. labor union that represents more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers. Equity endeavors to advance the careers of its members by negotiating wages, improving working conditions and providing a wide range of benefits (health and pension included). Member: AFL-CIO, FIA. www.actorsequity.org #EquityWorks
THE LEAGUE OF RESIDENT THEATRES (LORT) is one of the largest employers of Equity members and the largest not-for-profit employer, with 79 member Theatres located in every major market in the U.S., including 30 states and the District of Columbia.
April 14, 2023
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