CHICAGO: Actors’ Fairness Affiliation and Producers’ Affiliation of Chicago Space Theatres (PACT), an affiliation of 21 Chicago space theatres working underneath the Chicago Space Theatre contract, introduced that they’ve ratified a brand new four-year settlement.

The brand new settlement will implement systemic adjustments aimed toward enabling Chicago theatre artists to make a sustained residing and offering producers with the runway wanted to implement these adjustments in a sustainable method. The brand new settlement contains wage will increase for actors and stage managers over the time period of the contract. The settlement additionally contains new advantages from bigger theatres to assist sustainable careers for artists who work there, and it advances discrimination and harassment protections for reproductive and gender-affirming healthcare. Over the time period of the contract, stage managers also needs to see “throughout the board” enhancements to their work-life stability. 

“We knew our employers shared our aim of creating the pursuit of a profession in Chicago theatre a viable selection, and we caught to our imaginative and prescient of how you can make that potential,” mentioned Wydetta Carter, 1st vp of Actors’ Fairness Affiliation and chair of the Chicago Space Theatre Negotiating Crew, in a press release. “Our members working in CAT theatres are getting into fairer and safer workplaces, and that’s what it’s all about.”

Within the 2022-2023 season, Fairness members cumulatively earned almost $3.5 million on the Chicago Space Theatre (CAT) Settlement. As considered one of Fairness’s largest regional contracts, the brand new CAT settlement follows negotiations that started on the finish of September 2023. That is the primary main replace to the CAT Settlement since 2018.

“As we proceed to navigate the difficult occasions that we nonetheless face as an business post-pandemic, we admire our companions at Fairness working with us aspect by aspect to supply time and house so wanted for restoration but additionally to work collectively and strategically on a wholesome path ahead for everybody,” mentioned Kate Lipuma, president of PACT and govt director of Writers Theatre, in a press release.

Based in 1913, Actors’ Fairness Affiliation is the U.S. labor union that represents greater than 51,000 skilled actors and stage managers. Fairness endeavors to advance the careers of its members by negotiating wages, bettering working circumstances and offering a variety of advantages (well being and pension included). 

PACT represents 21 skilled Chicago space theatres of their collective bargaining discussions with Fairness, working underneath the Chicago Space Theatre (CAT) contract. The CAT settlement is a tiered contract utilized in theatres with a capability of 900 seats or fewer inside 35 miles from the Chicago metropolis limits and covers each business and nonprofit theatres.

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