More Washington woes.

The management of the Washington Ballet has again locked horns with its dancers and their union, the American Guild of Musical Artists, over collective bargaining issues. The impasse resulted in the cancellation of the company's entire Nutcracker run, the February and March programs at the Kennedy Center, and a week's booking in March at New York's Joyce Theater. The loss of Nutcracker revenue will amount to over $1 million, according to Jason Palmquist, the ballet's executive director.

Problems began when the dancers, who had made new contract proposals in August, met with management to bargain in late October. "Everything [that management said] sent a clear message that they wanted no involvement with the union," said AGMA counsel Deborah Allton. "It was very frustrating for the dancers, because nothing was changing." Concerned about unsafe working conditions, the dancers and the union proposed an interim agreement on Dec. 12 to address crucial issues until a full contract could be approved. Palmquist called the proposal "the nuclear option," declared that the dancers were striking, and canceled the remainder of the Nutcracker performances. "They were circumventing the collective bargaining process and saying, 'We need an agreement now,'" said Palmquist.

The dancers maintain that they were always available to talk and were locked out. "In our opinion, the interim agreement was an intervention, because it was clear the negotiations were going to take forever," said Allton. "Their position was to draw a line in the sand, back off, and then make a drastic move. They'd rather shoot themselves in the foot than talk to us." When the dancers showed up for rehearsal on Dec 20, they were turned away by artistic director Septime Webre.

The contract proposals were not related to salary--the dancers had already been granted an increase last summer. Instead, they focused on working conditions, a guaranteed number of contracted dancers, health insurance, and a restriction on the use of students in productions. According to Allton, the company injury rate ran from 20-25 percent, due to unregulated rehearsal schedules, spillover rehearsals, inadequate breaks, and management's disregard for free days. "Their current contracts state they can be fired immediately for any reason or no reason," said Allton.

The stipulation to limit the use of unsalaried performers from the Washington School of Ballet in Serenade and other works was unacceptable to the board. "We want no restrictions on the use of students--we feel that is part of our institution's DNA that grew out of a 61-year-old tradition," said Palmquist.

In response to the cancellations, ACMA has filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board. In January, Kennedy Center President Michael Kasier offered to mediate contract negotiations. Palmquist rejected the offer, saying, "We're just not there yet."