After a three-year process, Opera Colorado workers have secured a collective bargaining agreement with the American Guild of Musical Artists, resulting in improved working conditions and higher pay for performers.
Details of the Agreement
The new agreement, which covers staff both onstage and behind the curtains, includes a pay raise for chorus members from less than $5 an hour to over $21 an hour. Additionally, performers will have their parking costs covered. The agreement also provides protections for resident artists, including housing, weekly wages, and contract opportunities for mainstage productions.
According to Bella Mallow, an Opera Colorado chorus member, the pay raise is a significant improvement but still not on par with other large opera houses. Mallow expressed the need for continued efforts to push for higher pay.
Opera Colorado’s CEO, Barbara Lynn Jamison, views the union agreement as a crucial step in ensuring the company’s sustainability and attractiveness to talent. The agreement is seen as a positive development for both the performers and the company as a whole.
Original reporting: Denverite — read the source article.
