DALLAS — The National Labor Relations Board has filed a complaint against Dallas Black Dance Theatre after the dance company’s recent firing of dancers. The complaint alleges management threatened employees over unionizing, among other issues.
Earlier this year, a group of former Dallas Black Dance Theatre (DBDT) dancers posted to social media on Friday that they had been terminated after forming a union in late May and joining the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA). The dance company, though, previously said the dancers were fired over a social media post.
The National Labor Relations Board had been investigating unfair labor practice charges filed against the dance company in June and August. Dallas Black Dance Theatre also filed an unfair labor practice charge against the union in September.
The unfair labor practice charges include allegedly threatening employees regarding wages or benefits if they chose to unionize, shortening dancers’ summer contracts, failed to offer free admission to the company’s annual fundraiser to dancers, and more, according to the NLRB complaint, obtained by WFAA.
“A complaint is not a “Board decision/ruling” —it is the first step in the NLRB’s General Counsel litigating the allegations after investigating an unfair labor practice charge and finding merit,” a spokesperson for the National Labor Relations Board told WFAA. “The Regional Director will continue to seek settlement to make whole the victims of the alleged unlawful activity. Unless a settlement is reached first, an Administrative Law Judge hearing on the complaint is scheduled for December 9th in Fort Worth.”
“The National Labor Relations Board has issued a formal complaint, finding reasonable cause to believe that Dallas Black Dance Theatre committed numerous unfair labor practices, the most extreme of which was the termination of the entire main company,” the union said in a social media post.
The union said they met with leadership from Dallas Black Dance Theatre last week to discuss a possible settlement of the unfair labor practice charges.
“The fact that the NLRB has issued the complaint indicates that its settlement negotiations with DBDT have not progressed sufficiently to justify delaying the agency’s pursuit of justice through legal channels,” the union’s post continued.
The National Labor Relations Board calls on Dallas Black Dance Theatre to compensate dancers for damage that may have been caused by actions against them by the dance company, according to the NLRB complaint.
The National Labor Relations Board complaint came after the Dallas City Council voted to pause funding to the Dallas voted to pause funding to Dallas Black Dance Theatre to the tune of about $248,000 for 2024-2025 to send the issue back to a committee for further guidance.
WFAA has reached out to Dallas Black Dance Theatre for comment on the National Labor Relations Board complaint. We’ll update this story as additional information becomes available.
