Agreement in wage dispute

Joint press release of BFFS, GDBA and VdO

Cologne/Berlin, June 5, 2023 - The artists' unions BFFS, GDBA and VdO have reached an agreement with the German Stage Association in the collective bargaining for the transfer of the TVöD wage agreement to the NV Bühne sector.

Accordingly, on March 1, 2024, the fees of artists in their first three years of employment who transfer to another stage of the German Stage Association on September 1 of this year will initially increase by a base amount of 35 euros. The total amount will then be increased by a further 5.5 percent.
For all other artists, the salary will be increased on March 1, 2024 by a base amount of 200 euros and then by a further 5.5 percent - in line with the result in the TVöD.

In addition, the artists' unions have negotiated the dynamization of the entry-level and minimum salary as of March 1, 2024. It will also increase by the basic amount of 35 euros and then by a further 5.5 percent. The starting salary will thus increase from 2,715 euros to 2,900 euros and the minimum salary from 2,915 euros to 3,110 euros.

Employees of the opera choir and dance groups will receive 200€ plus 5.5%. The tables also increase by 200€ plus 5.5%.

With this collective agreement, the artists' unions also achieved a fee increase for guest artists.

Lisa Jopt, Executive President of GDBA:
"The entry-level wage is approaching 3,000 euros, a figure for which we were met with derision and outrage years ago - this is a great step. It is regrettable that we have not yet been able to negotiate an inflation adjustment for guests, because guests in particular need it."

Gerrit Wedel, deputy managing director VdO:
"With the increase of entrance and minimum wage in the context of these adjustment negotiations we could reach a further important step for the improvement of the wage situation for occupation beginners in addition to the important success, which we achieved by our tariff increases in the tariff agreement in the past year for entrance and minimum wage."

Klara Deutschmann, board member of the BFFS:
"This wage agreement is also an important signal to guest artists, who will benefit accordingly from the fee increases achieved as of March 1, 2024. Now it applies to negotiate in the next step also for guest Künstler:innen an urgently needed inflation compensation with the German stage association. Because of their temporary engagement, guest artists are just as in need of protection as permanently employed artists after NV Bühne."

To date, no agreement has been reached on compensation for inflation for guests and a working time regulation. The artists' unions will shortly be discussing how to proceed.