Broadway musicians prepared to strike if deal isn't reached by Thursday deadline
Broadway musicians say they are prepared to strike immediately if they cannot reach a new contract agreement by Thursday.
A potential strike would impact many, but not all, shows, as some are on different contracts.
See below for a full list of shows that would be impacted by a strike.
Negotiations ongoing with Broadway musicians
Negotiators from the Broadway League and Musicians Local 802 were to meet with a mediator Wednesday as they try to get a new deal in place.
The musicians have been working without a contract since Sept. 1, and the union says 98% of members have authorized a strike. They're demanding higher pay, stable health coverage, and increased job security.
The Broadway League said in a statement Wednesday, "Good-faith negotiations happen at the bargaining table, not in the press," and added, "We value our musicians and we are committed to working in good faith to get a fair contract done."
CBS News New York spoke to actors and musicians about what's at stake.
"It would be rough," actor Eddie Jordan said of a strike. "I don't know where the end of this is, but one has to keep moving and one, especially musicians, they have to be paid their worth."
"I'm a pianist. I'm a musician. I've played for many shows and I support musicians. I support what they need and what they need to survive, so it's hard. I don't want to miss the shows, selfishly. But also, I think you need to do what's right for your theater people," musician Holly Sisk said.
Broadway musicians previously went on strike for five days in 2003.
The last strike of any kind on Broadway was in 2007 involving the stagehands union. It lasted 19 days and cost the city and show producers millions of dollars in lost revenue.
List of potentially impacted shows and theaters
- "& Juliet" (Sondheim)
- "Aladdin" (New Amsterdam)
- "Beetlejuice" (Palace)
- "Book of Mormon" (O'Neill)
- "Buena Vista Social Club" (Schoenfeld)
- "Chess" (Imperial)
- "Chicago" (Ambassador)
- "Death Becomes Her" (Lunt Fontanne)
- "The Great Gatsby" (Broadway)
- "Hadestown" (Kerr)
- "Hamilton" (Rodgers)
- "Hells Kitchen" (Shubert)
- "Just in Time" (Circle in the Square)
- "Lion King" (Minskoff)
- "Mamma Mia" (Winter Garden)
- "Maybe Happy Ending" (Belasco)
- "Operation Mincemeat" (Golden)
- "MJ" (Neil Simon)
- "Moulin Rouge" (Hirshfeld)
- "Outsiders" (Jacobs)
- "Queen of Versailles" (St. James)
- "Six" (Lena Horne)
- "Wicked" (Gershwin)
Broadway actors' strike avoided
Last week, the Broadway League and the Actors' Equity Association reached a tentative deal to avoid an actors strike.
While the exact terms of the deal were not announced, the union that represents actors and stage managers had been fighting for more pay, boosted health care contributions, and better working conditions.
"We are thankful that our brothers and sisters in labor at Actors' Equity have reached an agreement. Local 802 is still in negotiation for a fair contract, and everything remains on the table, including a strike," Local 802 Union President Robert Suttmann said at the time.