Metropolitan Opera’s Union Artists Reach Tentative Agreement With Management 

The new one-year contract is subject to a ratification vote by its members, which will be completed later this June

The Metropolitan Opera has now reached a provisional agreement on a one-year contract with the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA), the union of the Met chorus, soloists, dancers, full-time actors, stage managers, stage directors, and choreographers. 

AGMA’s current contract with the Met expires on August 1, 2025, when the new agreement is set to take effect. 

Among the requests in the contract are wage increases by 2.5%. This will be supplemented by an additional temporary wage increase of 2.5% that will conclude by the end of the one-year term. 

The additional salary bump followed AGMA’s role with other unions in helping the Met obtain a $5 million funding item from the New York State budget earlier this year. 

“We’re pleased to have reached an agreement with our AGMA employees, who together with our orchestra and stagehands, are the heart and soul of our performances,” said the Met’s General Manager Peter Gelb. “We’ve entered a new era of cooperation with AGMA, exemplified by their efforts to help the Met secure the special line item in the state’s budget.”

“We’re proud of what we’ve achieved together,” added Negotiating Committee Co-Chairs, chorister Lee Steiner and stage manager John Coleman. “This one-year agreement honors the contributions of all AGMA artists at the Met, and reflects real progress in areas our members identified as priorities. Just as importantly, it sets the stage for a more expansive negotiation next year, where we’ll continue to build on this momentum and work toward lasting improvements.”