Posts tagged American Federation of Musicians
MN Opera Orchestra votes no confidence in Opera leadership as labor negotiations intensify
November 2, 2026 // The Minnesota Opera Orchestra musicians announced a formal vote of no confidence in Minnesota Opera leadership on Saturday, another escalation in contentious labor negotiations between musicians and leadership. The Opera Orchestra has been at odds with the Opera over cost-of-living wage increases. That dispute led the Opera to postpone the world premiere of "The Many Deaths of Laila Starr," which was due to open Saturday evening. While the vote of no confidence is an escalation, it is not an outright work stoppage. However, musicians did vote to authorize a strike in early October.
San Francisco Opera Cancels Opening Night After Musicians Strike
September 15, 2026 // The labor action forced the opera to cancel as patrons were finding their seats, and threw the season of one of the nation’s premier companies into limbo.
Local orchestra members one step closer to unionizing
April 25, 2026 // The group decided to unionize under the American Federation of Musicians in the spring of 2024. However, their status has not been formally recognized by TCVO’s board of directors.
Actors’ Equity, IATSE, Other Entertainment Unions Condemn Kennedy Center Closure
February 4, 2026 // Actors’ Equity Association, American Federation of Musicians, American Guild of Musical Artists, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, and Stage Directors and Choreographers Society—unions whose members are routinely hired by the Kennedy Center—have released a joint statement decrying the move, calling it "harmful for the arts and creative workers in America," and saying they have been given "no formal notice or briefing." The unions also said that for any upcoming shows that will be cancelled due to this closure, "we will enforce our contracts and exercise all our rights under the law. We expect continued fair pay, enforceable worker protections, and accountability for our members in the event they cannot work due to an operational pause."
Kennedy Center unions prepare workers for the worst
February 3, 2026 // Kennedy Center Arts Workers United — consisting of Actors’ Equity, American Federation of Musicians (AFM), American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA), International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), and Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC) — have issued this joint statement in response to the presidential announcement that the Center will shut from July:
Breaking News Strike Update – Tentative Deal Reached Between Equity and the Broadway League
October 21, 2025 // No one has called for a strike quite yet. Actors' Equity Association, representing more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers, has argued for new a Broadway contract that ensures safe staffing, humane scheduling, sustainable working conditions, and paying fair share of benefits. Local 802, representing thousands of highly skilled musicians in New York City, is bringing similar issues to the table: fair wages that reflect Broadway’s success; stable health coverage; and employment and income security.
Hollywood stars, unions and fans erupt with outrage after ABC pulls Jimmy Kimmel off air
September 21, 2025 // The outrage over ABC’s decision spilled over into the streets on Thursday, as members of WGA rallied outside Disney Studios in Burbank, California, as part of a protest co-organized with the group Burbank Against ICE. The protesters carried signs that read “Defend Free Speech” and “ABC Bends the Knee to Fascism” as they walked the sidewalks to the sound of approving car horns on Alameda Boulevard. WGA President Meredith Steihm said she was at a members meeting Wednesday night when news of Disney’s decision to pull the show began to spread. “This felt like a siren last night,” Steihm said. “We put a statement out, but the question was ‘What are we going to do?’ The first thing we did was gather here.”
Fired dancers, protesters picket Dallas Black Dance Theatre’s season opener
October 15, 2024 // Dozens of protesters came out on Friday from labor organizations including the Dallas AFL-CIO, Actors’ Equity, Young Active Labor Leaders and American Federation of Musicians. Those picketing also passed out flyers explaining what happened to the fired dancers. AGMA, along with the fired dancers and community members, said they will picket at every DBDT performance this season. They picketed at the DanceAfrica Festival and Marketplace at Klyde Warren Park on Saturday.
“They Should Fear Us”: Teamsters & IATSE Link Arms For March Contract Talks With Studios
February 2, 2024 // To put some numbers to those crew, the Matthew Loeb-run IATSE represents 170,000 technicians, artisans and craftspeople in North America. With 1.3 million members nationwide, the Teamsters have 6,500 members in Local 399. The other Hollywood Basic Crafts have a combined 1,500 members. So do the math: That’s 178,000 union members sitting at the table at the AMPTP’s Sherman Oaks offices. All things considered, in the first such united front by the unions in 25 years, maybe the studios should be a little scared.
As Musicians Start Talks With Studios, Hollywood Labor Leaders Lend Support In Picket
January 22, 2024 // The program - which featured music performed by AFM brass musicians and speeches from labor leaders including Teamsters Local 399 secretary-treasurer Lindsay Dougherty, Writers Guild of America West vice president Michele Mulroney and L.A. County Federation of Labor president Yvonne Wheeler - took place hours before the AFM was scheduled to begin negotiations over new Basic Theatrical Motion Picture and Basic Television Motion Picture contracts with the AMPTP in an office just steps away.