Met singers' union gets 5% increase partly funded by $5M appropriation from New York state

The Metropolitan Opera and the union for its soloists and chorus have announced a one-year agreement on a contract

NEW YORK -- The Metropolitan Opera and the union for its soloists and chorus announced a one-year agreement Friday on a contract.

The agreement calls for a 2.5% wage increase plus an additional temporary 2.5% hike that followed the labor group's assistance in securing a $5 million appropriation in New York state's budget.

The deal between the Met and the American Guild of Musical Artists starts Aug. 1 and runs through July 31, 2026. It must be ratified by the union. AGMA also represents dancers, full-time actors, stage managers, stage directors and choreographers.

The Met said AGMA helped lobby the state government for the appropriation, and the additional 2.5% rise will sunset when the deal expires.

Two other major Met union deals expire July 31, with Local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians, which represents the orchestra, and Local One of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, which represents stagehands.