Union CBA summaries, minimum rates, and notable provisions
Practical legal information on the contracts that govern your career, in collaboration with Clemenza Law Group, an independent law firm affiliated with Stage Door Society.
Reviewed and maintained with the Clemenza Law Group, an independent law firm affiliated with Stage Door Society
Six clauses that regularly appear in performing arts contracts and put performers at serious financial or legal risk. Know them before the contract lands on your desk.
The Risk
Language granting the producer unlimited rights to your name, image, voice, or likeness — including AI-generated reproductions — forever and without additional compensation.
What to Ask For
Limit to the run of the production + one year for promotional use. Strike "in perpetuity" and "including digital representations." Require written consent for any AI replication.
The Risk
Broad language allowing termination for any conduct the producer deems "offensive" or "harmful to the production" without defining those terms.
What to Ask For
Define the triggering conduct specifically. Add a cure period and require that the morality clause be mutually applicable to the producer and creative team.
The Risk
Restrictions on working for competing productions or venues that extend weeks or months past your closing performance, effectively preventing you from accepting new work.
What to Ask For
Exclusivity should end on your final performance date. Any post-closing restriction must be compensated. Define 'competing' narrowly.
The Risk
An offer of billing prominence (above-title, featured) paired with a request to accept below-union-minimum compensation. Billing costs the producer nothing; it cannot substitute for pay.
What to Ask For
Union minimums are non-negotiable floors regardless of billing. Accept billing conversations only after salary is confirmed at or above scale.
The Risk
Travel and housing provided as taxable income (reported on a 1099 or added to W-2 wages) without any gross-up payment to offset the tax liability, which can reduce your net pay by 25–37%.
What to Ask For
Request direct housing (not a stipend) or a gross-up formula tied to your marginal rate. Alternatively, negotiate a higher base rate to cover the imputed income.
The Risk
Force majeure clauses that allow the producer to suspend or cancel without pay but still hold you exclusively through the suspension, preventing you from accepting other work.
What to Ask For
Add a mutual exclusivity release: if the producer invokes force majeure past 14 days, you are free to accept other engagements. Include a minimum suspension pay provision.
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If your employer violates the terms of a collective bargaining agreement, you have the right to file a formal grievance. The process differs by union but follows the same essential sequence.
Identify the specific CBA provision violated. Document everything: dates, times, witnesses, communications. Do not rely on memory alone. Keep your contract copy accessible.
Reach your union steward or business representative immediately. AEA: 212-869-8530. AGMA: 212-265-3687. AFM: 212-869-1330. IATSE: 212-730-1770. Time limits on grievance filing are strict.
If the steward-level resolution fails, escalate to the union's national grievance or legal department. Many CBAs require written notice of escalation within a set window — check your contract.
For retaliation or organizing-rights violations, file an NLRB charge at nlrb.gov (free, no attorney required). For complex claims, consult an entertainment attorney — see Free Legal Aid below.
The National Labor Relations Act protects your right to organize, join unions, and bargain collectively. Employers cannot retaliate against you for union activity, including discussing wages with colleagues or supporting an organizing drive.
Most performing arts CBAs guarantee: overtime pay, travel and per-diem rates, health-insurance and pension contributions, injury leave, rehearsal-hour limits, and a minimum number of performances. Review the cards above for your union.
OSHA and CBA safety provisions are non-negotiable floors. If you are asked to perform under unsafe conditions — dangerous rigging, inadequate ventilation, improper fight choreography — you have the right to refuse and the right to report without retaliation.
This content is for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Laws vary by jurisdiction. For advice specific to your situation, consult a licensed attorney admitted in your state. See full disclaimer.
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