Stagehands end Broadway walkout

Negotiations had moved slowly as both sides argued over wages

A deal has been reached to end a strike by stagehands at Broadway theatres in New York, which has shut down more than 20 shows for more than two weeks.

A spokeswoman for the theatres said performances would resume on Thursday.

The agreement came after two days of marathon talks between the strikers, the theatres and producers.

All but eight Broadway productions were shut down after stagehands walked out in a dispute over pay and conditions on 10 November.

The strike followed three months of talks, centring on how many stagehands are needed to open a production and keep it running smoothly during the life of a show.

The union wants a fixed number while producers want a flexible number.

Negotiations were held with producers, who are anxious to curtail mounting losses at the box office.

Economic impact

"The contract is a good compromise that serves our industry. What is most important is that Broadway's lights will once again shine brightly," Charlotte St Martin, head of the League of American Theatres and Producers said.

"The people of Broadway are looking forward to returning to work, giving the theatre-going public the joy of Broadway, the greatest entertainment in the world," James Claffey, president of stagehands' union Local One said.

The two sides were under pressure to reach a compromise as other unions, including the Actors' Equity Union, felt the bite of losing pay.

The economic impact of the strike, which has also hit dining out and shopping , has been estimated at $2m (£968,000) each day.

The last strike to hit Broadway was in 2003.

The latest dispute was thought to have been especially damaging as some of Broadway's most profitable shows, including Hairspray and Wicked, were closed over the Thanksgiving weekend - one of the most lucrative in the calendar.