The American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) and The Dallas Opera have finalized a new five-year collective bargaining agreement, approved by AGMA leadership on May 19, 2025. This agreement introduces several changes affecting wages, benefits, work hours, and workplace protections for artists.
The contract includes consistent wage increases for various artist categories. Chorus members will see a 6% increase in the first year and 3% annually from years two to five. Assistant Director rates will rise by 5.5% in the first year, followed by smaller annual increases thereafter. Other artist wages will increase by 3% in the first year and continue with incremental raises through the contract’s duration.
Retirement fund contributions remain at 10% for choristers and dancers but will see annual increases for other artists starting at 3%.
Payment procedures have been improved to ensure timeliness and accuracy. Staging staff overtime rules have been adjusted with a lower weekly threshold from 58 to 50 hours. Principal Artists’ payments are now electronic and scheduled before performances unless otherwise requested.
The agreement also focuses on artist well-being with clear scheduling guidelines, advanced hair and makeup renderings, prohibitions on after-hours fittings for choristers, mandatory anti-harassment training including bullying prevention, and formal inclusion of intimacy coordinators under defined terms.
Additional measures include advance notifications of chorus productions following season announcements, adjustments to fitting schedules in emergencies or short notice situations, as well as detailed travel arrangement information provided during contracting.
This comprehensive contract aims to enhance both compensation structures and workplace conditions for artists affiliated with The Dallas Opera over the next five years.
