SACRAMENTO (CelebrityAccess) — The Dancers, Stage Managers and Apprentices of the Sacramento Ballet voted overwhelmingly to join the American Guild of Musical Artists, a labor union that represents performers and stage production staff in dance and opera companies throughout the US.
The election, conducted on Friday by the National Labor Relations Board, resulted in a vote of 23-1 in favor of AGMA. This marks the second Ballet company in only the past two months to elect to join the ranks of companies represented by AGMA after the artists of the Sarasota Ballet in Florida voted overwhelmingly in favor of AGMA's representation last month.
Founded in the spring of 1936 as an organization of solo musical artists, the AGMA was granted a charter from the Associated Actors and Artistes of America to cover the fields of grand opera, concert, and recital. Early members of the union included Richard Bonnelli, Frank Chapman, Richard Crooks, Kirsten Flagstad, George Gershwin, Frank La Forge, John McCormick, Lauritz Melchior, James Melton, Lily Pons, Andres Segovia, Gladys Swarthout, Deems Taylor, Fred Waring, Paul Whiteman, and Efrem Zimbalist among others.
"I congratulate the Artists of Sacramento Ballet and welcome them as they join AGMA's growing membership throughout the country. We look forward to beginning negotiations with the company to guarantee the kinds of protections and conditions other professional dancers and production staff enjoy," stated Leonard Egert, National Executive Director of AGMA.
