Dallas Black Dance Theatre Reach $500K Settlement With Terminated Unionized Workers

The Dallas Black Dance Theater agreed to pay over $500,000 to the dancers the institution fired in August.

The Dallas Black Dance Theatre has reached a $500,000 settlement with the ten dancers the company fired in August.

The settlement was reached on Dec. 22 with the legacy dance company paying the terminated dancers half a million dollars four months after their exit, NBC DFW reports. The American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA), who called for an investigation into DBDT following the terminations, called the settlement agreement with DBDT “historic in its scope.”

The agency brokered the settlement after finding merit in complaints over the dance theater’s alleged unfair labor practices and move to fire the dancers months after they joined a union. DBDT claimed they fired the dancers over a social media post.

However, the dancers claim their terminations came after they joined AGMA in May, alleging that the theater retaliated by stripping the newly unionized dancers of benefits, cutting teaching opportunities for company members, firing a dancer with 14 years of experience, and ultimately dismissing the remaining nine dancers.

“This has always been bigger than us,” the dancers said in a joint statement. “While this settlement allows our lives to go on and gives us some sense of much-needed closure, we recognize that the fight for accountability and justice at DBDT is far from over.”

The social media post in question showed the dancers (Sean J. Smith, Sierra Jones, Micah Isaiah, Terrell Rogers, Gillian Clifford, Dominiq Luckie, Nile Ruff, Derick McKoy, Jr., Elijah Lancaster, and Brianne Sellars) participating in a trend where members of a group are introduced over the “Family Matters” theme song. DBDT officials say the post violated the theater policy the dancers agreed to when signing on as staffers.

The terminated dancers believe their dismissals were a direct consequence of their decision to join the union. In response to what many view as unjustified terminations, a Dallas City Council committee voted to withhold approximately $248,000 in funding from DBDT, citing concerns that the dance company engaged in “union-busting” by firing the dancers following their vote to unionize earlier this year.

Last week, the same committee signaled a willingness to redirect the funding—approximately 7% of DBDT’s budget—to other arts organizations in need within the city. An item on Wednesday’s Dallas City Council agenda permits the restoration of funding if the NLRB clears DBDT of wrongdoing or if the company reaches a settlement with AGMA.

Under the settlement, 10 terminated dancers and three whose job offers were rescinded will receive over $560,000 in back pay, front pay, and compensation for damages resulting from their loss of employment. The dance company is also required to issue apology letters to the dancers and collaborate with an NLRB agent to provide training for managers, supervisors, and employees.

“While this settlement allows our lives to go on and gives us some sense of much-needed closure, we recognize that the fight for accountability and justice at DBDT is far from over,” the dancers said.