Broadway League and Service Employees Union Reach Tentative Three-Year Contract

The Broadway Leauge and the union 32BJ SEIU — which represents the cleaners, porters and matrons who work at Broadway theaters — reached a tentative three-year contract late Thursday.

Under the terms of the contract, which will begin in 2010, the Broadway League will make weekly contributions to the 32BJ League Pension Fund, and also continue to provide employer-paid family healthcare coverage. In addition, workers will receive a dollar an hour boost over the life of the three-year contract, or a 6.2 percent raise.

The settlement is tentative until it has been ratified, but Hector Figueroa, 32BJ Secretary-Treasurer, expressed contentment about the contract in a press statement, saying “The League worked cooperatively and productively late into the night to come to an agreement that benefits the workers and ensures the continued success of Broadway theaters.”

In a separate statement, the Broadway League’s executive director, Charlotte St. Martin, commented, “We continue to support our employees represented by the SEIU Local 32BJ who have worked for Broadway for 10, 15, or even 25 years. Their longevity confirms that we are fair employers who care about the people who work for us on behalf of our industry.”