Deal reached to avoid usher strike at Philadelphia's Kimmel Center, Academy of Music, Miller Theater
A strike by unionized ushers at several major Philadelphia arts venues has been avoided, according to representatives for the ushers and their employers, the Philadelphia Orchestra and Ensemble Arts Philly.
An Ensemble Arts spokesperson and the union, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local B29 (IATSE Local B29) both confirmed a tentative agreement on a new five-year contract.
The terms of the deal include wage increases that amount to 23% over the life of the contract, plus other benefits and changes to work rules that the union had requested. IATSE Local B29 announced the terms in a news release Wednesday.
"Ensemble Arts Philly and IATSE Local B29 look forward to continuing their 24-year partnership working together to continue to provide exceptional service to the more than one million visitors to the Kimmel Center, Academy of Music, and Miller Theater each year," the union said.
Over the weekend, the union said it wanted management at Ensemble Arts Philly to return to the bargaining table with an offer that would increase wages for these front-of-house workers at the venues.
A union spokesperson said over 90% of IATSE Local B29 members voted to reject a previous offer Ensemble Arts sent on Dec. 30.
IATSE said in addition to the wage increases, workers wanted clearer protections for third-party events like weddings and for picking up additional shifts at venues outside of where the Philadelphia Orchestra normally performs.
"Ushers are the first faces audiences see when they enter the venue, setting the tone for the entire experience. They deserve a contract that respects their contributions, meets their stated priorities, and ensures ushers' service and professionalism are sustainable for individuals within the craft," IATSE President Jonas Loeb said in a statement.
The union's strike authorization would have gone into effect Wednesday. Ensemble Arts previously said they were disappointed by the decision.
"The Ensemble Arts Philly ushers play a vital role as the public face of our venues and stand out as one of the few non-volunteer performing arts center usher corps in the country," a spokesperson said in a statement.
The strike threat came as the four-time Tony Award-winning production "MJ The Musical" is set to open Saturday at the Academy of Music.
Had the ushers stopped work, "Performances [would] continue as planned with staff and volunteers stepping in to ensure seamless operations," Ensemble Arts previously said.
