Broadway Actors Could Be Heading To Their First Strike Since 1968

According to Actors’ Equity, a Broadway union, Broadway actors are preparing to walk out in a strike due to healthcare contributions in negotiations.

This potential strike could shut down 32 productions, despite audience attendance reaching its peak this season. The union representing over 900 current Broadway performers and managers states that there has been no agreement on a new labor contract with the Broadway League. The original contract recently ended on September 28. Despite ongoing negotiations, key issues have arisen. Theater owners, producers, and operators are also affected by this.

One of the key issues is the healthcare funding. The executive director and lead negotiator for Actors’ Equity Al Vincent Jr, stated that they’re asking Broadway‘s employers to increase healthcare funding. Without funding, it is expected to fall rapidly by next May.

According to Vincent, other theaters in the country, such as Kansas and Idaho, pay their union more.

“Asking our employers to care for our bodies and to pay their fair share towards our health insurance is not only reasonable and necessary. It’s an investment they should want to make towards the long-term success of their businesses,” Actors’ Equity President Brooke Shields said.

In a statement she told Reuters, she mentions that she tore her meniscus during a Broadway show and performed “painfully” for three months.

“That’s just math. There are no Broadway shows without healthy Broadway actors and stage managers, and there are no healthy actors in stage managers without safety, workspaces and stable health insurance.” Shields said.

Kaylin Seckel known to be an ensemble cast member for Disney’s Lion King said she tore her Achilles Tendon during a 2022 performance and had to be carried off stage by her partner. She soon had to undergo surgery and indoor physical therapy before she return to the stage. Despite worker’s compensation covering her medical expenses, she still relied on union healthcare to pay for other treatments.

“That was three years ago, and I require, to this day, other procedures and more physical therapy that I was denied under workers’ comp, so for performers and state managers in this industry, where your jobs are dangerous without really good health insurance, it’s difficult for us to do our jobs,” Seckel said. 

The League of Broadway told Reuters in a statement saying that they’re working on an agreement.

“We all want to stay in the magic of Broadway for our audience. We are continuing good faith negotiations with actors’ equality to reach a fair agreement that works for Broadway shows, cast, crew, and the millions of people from around the world who come to experience Broadway,” the organization said.

This isn’t the first time the entertainment industry has participated in a strike. In 2023, Hollywood actors and writers went on strike due to compensation issues and concerns about the impact of AI. The video game industry also participated in a year-long walkout to protest the use of AI.

Just last Friday, the union begin delivering strike pledge cards asking performers and managers to participate in a walkout.

The last major Broadway strike occurred in 1968, when a three-day walkout affected 19 Broadway shows. The Strike ended when the New York City Mayor at the time stepped in, and an agreement was made.

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