The AGMA Board of Governors has ratified a new collective bargaining agreement with the Metropolitan Opera. But it wasn’t a victory for all. 

In a press statement Len Egert, National Executive Director of AGMA, and the co-lead negotiator of the Met/AGMA contract said, “Considering what the Met was originally publicly seeking in concessions, which was around 30 percent, this comprehensive agreement is the best resolution for all our members. It was a balancing act, a give and take, but we continued to push the interests and needs of our Artists to the forefront of every conversation.

“We ensured that AGMA members who make their livelihood at the Met can continue to do so and that the Met as an institution can continue to attract and retain the best Artists in the world.”

The Met AGMA Negotiating Committee, which was made up of 36 AGMA Artists representing every category of AGMA working at the Metropolitan Opera, began negotiations in February. The new four-year agreement was approved by union leadership after a tentative agreement was reached May 11.

The vote for the agreement saw 334 in favor and 124 disapproving of the new agreement. Of those 124, 113 dissenting votes came from the soloists’ branch (the 113 votes represent 29 percent of all votes); 89 soloists voted “yes” to the agreement (19 percent of the vote).

Moreover, none of the other branches’ total votes came close to the 113 “nos” from the soloists (or the 89 “yes” votes from the soloists branch for that matter); the Dancers branch came in third in vote total and represented a total of 88 votes (19 percent of the total vote), with all of them approving the deal.

Here is a breakdown of the vote:

Per a release, the contract also achieved gains in the area of diversity, equity and inclusion. Here is a look at the DEI proposals included in this new contract in the following link.