Region 16-Fort Worth Secures Settlement Requiring Dallas Black Dance Theatre to Pay Dancers $565,000

On December 8, 2024, Region 16-Fort Worth secured a Settlement Agreement to resolve allegations in four unfair labor practice charges filed by the American Guild of Musical Artists (the Union) against the Dallas Black Dance Theatre in Dallas, Texas (the Employer).

In November 2024, the Regional Director issued a complaint against the Employer alleging, among other things, that the Employer: made coercive promises and grants of benefits, threats of discharge, and other coercive statements; issued its bargaining unit main dancers disciplinary written warnings; ceased permitting its main dancers to teach company rehearsal classes or to teach or direct student ensembles in its Academy; reduced the number of company main dancers; refused to hire three individuals as main dancers; maintained and enforced coercive and overly broad work rules; and effectuated a mass discharge of its remaining ten bargaining unit main dancers.

Under the terms of the settlement agreement, the Employer will make the affected employees whole for the losses suffered as a result of its unlawful conduct by paying them $565,085 in backpay, front pay, interest, excess tax, mileage, expenses, and other direct or foreseeable pecuniary harms; sending them letters of apology; permitting an NLRB Agent to conduct a training for its supervisors and managers about the National Labor Relations Act, and separately for its employees on paid work time; affording the Union access to its new main dancers and to its bulletin boards; extending the certification year; and rescinding its unlawful work rules. The Settlement further requires the Employer not only to post a remedial Notice and the NLRB’s Explanation of Rights for 120 days, but also to email the Notice to current and former employees; post the Notice on its website; read the Notice to an assembled group of its employees in the presence of an NLRB agent; and publicize the Notice in the Dallas Morning News newspaper for seven consecutive days.

“I am extremely proud of the work of the investigative team and the trial team in investigating these cases and bringing this matter to resolution,” said NLRB Region 16 Regional Director Timothy L. Watson. “This is an outstanding settlement that reinforces employee rights to seek union representation and take collective action free from employer retaliation,” Watson added.

Established in 1935, the National Labor Relations Board is an independent federal agency that protects employees, employers, and unions from unfair labor practices and protects the right of private sector employees to join together, with or without a union, to improve wages, benefits and working conditions. The NLRB conducts hundreds of workplace elections and investigates thousands of unfair labor practice charges each year. Region 16 serves areas in Arkansas and Texas from its Regional Office in Fort Worth and its Resident Offices in San Antonio and Houston.