Broadway musicians say they are prepared to strike immediately if they do not reach an agreement with the Broadway League on Wednesday.
“The Broadway musicians represented by Local 802 AFM are going into mediation on Wednesday, Oct. 22. If we do not have a new contract by Thursday morning, we are prepared to strike immediately. We are hopeful that we can reach an agreement,” Local 802 President Bob Suttmann said in a statement.
Broadway musicians have been working without a contract since Aug. 31, 2025, and have been lobbying for “stable” healthcare coverage, as well as wage gains and job security.
“On the heels of the most successful season in history, the Broadway League wants the working musicians and artists who fueled that very success to accept wage cuts, threats to healthcare benefits, and potential job losses,” Suttman said in a prior statement.
“Good-faith negotiations happen at the bargaining table, not in the press. We value our musicians and we are committed to working in good faith to get a fair contract done,” the Broadway League said in a statement Tuesday.
This comes as Actors’ Equity reached a tentative agreement with the Broadway League, the trade association for producers and general managers, Saturday over a new contract, averting the possibility of a strike. However, actors could join with musicians if they do decide to go on strike.
The union, which represents actors and stage managers, stated that they had reached an agreement over the Broadway contract after a mediation session that started Friday and lasted until 6 a.m. ET Saturday. The contract will still need to be ratified by members.
If the musicians go on strike, the only current musical that could go on would be Ragtime at the Lincoln Center, as it’s not part of the contract at issue and about two dozen more would be impacted. However, actors joining in the strike would also impact a number of other shows.
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