NEW YORK CITY: After issuing a strike threat for touring companies earlier this month, Actors’ Equity Association (AEA) has announced that they have reached a new tentative agreement with the Broadway League. The agreement remains subject to ratification by Equity members.

The three-year agreement comes after more than two months of bargaining between the parties, culminating in a final bargaining session April 11-12. Equity was advocating for increased per diems for union members in touring companies, as well as more secure housing conditions and increased coverage when members cannot perform due to ill health.

Almost 90 percent of Equity members in touring companies had signed a strike pledge as of early April. The union used the hashtag #UniteTheRoad on social media to raise awareness about the potential strike and how audience members could support union members. Last week, Equity councilors handed out leaflets to theatregoers outside touring productions in Chicago and discussed the potential strike with audiences in Sarasota, Fla., Durham, N.C., Richmond, Va., and Milwaukee. Equity president Kate Shindle also handed out leaflets outside two touring productions in Philadelphia.

Further details of the new agreement are not yet available.

Actors’ Equity Association is the U.S. labor union that represents more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers. Founded in 1913, AEA endeavors to advance the careers of its members by negotiating wages, improving working conditions, and providing a wide range of benefits.

The Broadway League is the national trade association for the Broadway industry. The League represents over 700 members, including theatre owners and operators, producers, presenters, and general managers in North American cities, as well as suppliers of goods and services to the commercial theatre industry.