Labor pains: a survey.

As dancers become more concerned with their working conditions, salary inequities, and contracted weeks of work, unions have played an important role in negotiating and resolving disputes between management and dancers. Several issues have cropped up in recent months.

* In December, all 21 members of non-union Ballet Concierto de Puerto Rico walked out of scheduled performances of The Nutcracker because of unpaid salaries and the management's refusal to open its books. The company contacted four laid-off members of Dance Theatre of Harlem--Dionne Figgins, Naimah Willoughby, Mark Burns, and Ebony Haswell--to replace dancers in principal roles. According to Figgins, a representative from The American Guild of Musical Artists advised them not to go, only because, as AGMA members, the union could not protect them in a non-union environment. During The Nutcracker engagement, which the DTH dancers accepted, Alan Gordon, the executive director of AGMA, sent a letter to Ballet Concierto, explaining that because the American National Labor Relations Act applies to non-union groups, the DTH dancers would be considered strikebreakers. Will the dancers be penalized? "The real answer is probably no, because I think they learned it was the wrong thing to do," said Gordon.

However, in a letter to Gordon, the four DTH dancers contended that non-union dancers cannot strike, and that accepting work during the company's walkout did not violate AGMA rules.

* The Nutcracker posed a different problem for the Boston Ballet. The loss of the 3,600-seat Wang Center (to the Radio City Christmas Spectacular), left the company with the 1,700-seat Colonial Theatre as its only option. Due to the shortfall in Nutcracker income, all non-unionized staff agreed to take a temporary salary cut through June. According to executive director Valerie Wilder, the dancers were also approached to pare expenses in the short run. The company has secured the refurbished Boston Opera House for the next three Nutcracker seasons. "I look at this as a speed bump along the way," said Wilder, who expects a better 2005-06 fiscal year outlook.

* In January, AGMA filed a petition on behalf of the 20 dancers of the Washington Ballet with the National Labor Relations Board, seeking an election to decide on unionization. A primary concern of the dancers was fear of injuries resulting from unscheduled rehearsal hours. The company's management argued against it, protesting the inclusion of stage managers and apprentices in the election process. According to Gordon, the management's action was "a typical industrial company response," unusual for a non-profit ballet company. "They wanted the lawyers to take over, force the union to petition the NLRB for an election, and contest the petition," he added. Jason Palmquist, executive director of Washington Ballet, stated his concerns about unionization: "You're inviting a third party into your relationship, and it has the potential of creating an adversity between the dancers and the administration."

But on January 19, the NLRB rejected management's appeal, allowing the dancers to proceed with the balloting. On February 14, the dancers voted 18-2 in favor of joining AGMA. The company later issued a statement reading, "We believe the secret ballot election process is a fair one, and we now look forward to a productive and respectful negotiation process."

* In Salt Lake City, the dancers of Ballet West voted in January to unionize with AGMA, as the company announced cutbacks in work weeks from 38 to 35, a roster reduction to 35 dancers (down from 40), and the cancellation of the fall repertory season. New contract negotiations began March 9 for the dancers. As the unions for the company's musicians and stagehands have strengthened, the dancers have often sacrificed the most financially. "We don't know how much of the burden the dancers have been taking, but we will look into it," said AGMA west coast representative Nora Heiber.

On a brighter note, New York City Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, and Pacific Northwest Ballet have all negotiated successful AGMA contracts and remain in secure financial positions. The SF Ballet recently announced that it has run in the black for 13 consecutive years.