Broadway’s major unions have secured contracts, after threatening to go on strike amid weeks-long contract negotiations with The Broadway League. The strike would have affected 23 different commercial Broadway shows. 

The actors, stage managers and musicians signed petitions stating they were ready to go on strike if need be. Members of both Broadways unions — Local 802, which represents Broadway musicians, and the Actor’s Equity Association, which represents actors and stage managers — were working under expired contracts for several weeks.

Local 802 took to Instagram on Oct. 1 to share their petition. Its demands included a fair wage increase, stable health coverage, a no change to attendance requirement, employment and income security and preserving in-house contractors. The union’s contract had expired on Aug. 31.

“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,” President of Local 802 Bob Suttmann said.

The Actor’s Equity Association’s contract expired on Sept. 28. The union wrote a letter of demands — such as wanting higher wages and more health care benefits — to the Broadway League.

The letter was signed by many, including actors Darren Criss, Alec Baldwin and Adam Lambert.

“Eight times a week, we show up for our audiences, but what audiences don’t see are all the additional hours behind the scenes it takes to stay show-ready. The work is intense, the schedules are grueling, and we show up with extraordinary skill, passion, and commitment. Now we’re asking you to show up for us,” the Actor’s Equity Association said in a statement.

On Oct. 18, the Actor’s Equity Association reached an agreement with The Broadway League. The details of the agreement have not been made public. Jason Laks, president of The Broadway League, said in a statement, “We’re pleased to have reached a tentative agreement on terms both parties are comfortable with, our focus has been negotiating in good faith at the bargaining table to reach a fair contract, and we thank our mediators for their diligent work bringing us together.”

Suttmann of Local 802 said that their musicians were prepared to initiate their strike if they did not obtain their contracts by the morning of Oct. 23. 

At 4:30 that morning, the strike was averted as a tentative agreement was reached.