Second City teachers call off strike after reaching tentative contract deal

Brian Rich/Sun-Times

The laughs will go on next week at The Second City after unionized teachers at the storied Old Town comedy company reached a tentative contract agreement and dropped plans for a strike that had been set to start Tuesday. 

A marathon bargaining session with Second City leadership on Friday led to the deal, according to a statement released Saturday by the Association of International Comedy Educators (AICE), part of the Illinois Federation of Teachers.

The contract still has to be voted on by the union, which includes about 200 active teachers, as well as facilitators who lead workshops for businesses. Terms of the agreement weren’t released. 

“We sincerely appreciate #thesecondcity leadership returning to the bargaining table, and seeing this through with us,” AICE said in a social media post. “This would NOT have happened without the overwhelming support of you and our allies in the public!”

Negotiations had dragged on for almost two years before the union announced a strike date last week.

In December, Second City leadership said it had offered its best and final contract offer, which was rejected by AICE members by an 85% no vote just before Christmas.

The teachers’ union had invited Second City actors and stage managers, who are also unionized, to join them in the picket line outside 230 W. North Ave., potentially bringing shows to a halt. 

Second City is owned by ZMC, a New York City-based private equity firm. A representative couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.