Minimum wages at German theaters for the first time
From October 2017, employees at German theaters will be subject to wage regulations that for the first time provide for minimum wages for guest contracts for performances and rehearsals.
On May 2, 2017, the artists' unions Genossenschaft Deutscher Bühnen-Angehöriger (GDBA) and Vereinigung deutscher Opernchöre und Bühnentänzer e. V. (VdO) reached an agreement with the German Stage Association as the employers' association in their collective bargaining negotiations on the regulations applicable to guest contracts, as they stated in a joint statement.
In detail, the agreed remuneration regulations include a minimum fee of 200 euros per performance - a deviation of up to 25 percent is possible for small roles or parts. In addition, a rehearsal fee of at least 90 euros has been agreed for full rehearsal days and 60 euros for half rehearsal days. The minimum fee for double performances is 150 percent of the minimum fee for a single performance.
In addition, the eligibility requirements for the payment of an allowance - i.e. vacation and Christmas bonuses - have been significantly improved. In contrast to the current regulations, months of employment from two seasons can now be added together in order to fulfill the necessary eligibility requirement of nine months of employment on the same stage. Previously, these nine months of employment had to be completed in one season in order to receive an allowance.
Finally, the parties to the collective agreement were able to agree on a regulation that will create legal certainty in future for fixed-term employment contracts concluded on the basis of the NV Bühne collective agreement. This relates in particular to sickness and parental leave replacements.
The agreement still has to be approved by the collective bargaining committees.
