Metropolitan Opera reaches agreement with stagehands union

NEW YORK (WABC) -- The Metropolitan Opera reached a deal early Wednesday with its stagehands to avert a lockout, and the season is expected to open as scheduled on September 22nd.

The terms of the agreement have not been disclosed.

The Met is still negotiating with eight smaller unions including those representing painters and costume and makeup artists.

The opera company says rehearsals will continue and the season will open as scheduled Sept. 22 with a new production of Mozart's "Le Nozze di Figaro."

Management had demanded salary cuts of about 17 percent and threatened to lock workers out if they did not agree.

The terms of the agreement with the stagehands were not disclosed. Published reports said deals reached earlier with the Met's orchestra and singers included concessions by both sides.

The agreements must be ratified by union members.

Fifteen unions representing about 2,500 chorus singers, orchestra musicians, stagehands, carpenters and others had been negotiating on and off since February. Their contracts expired July 31.

(Some information for this story is from the Associated Press.)