July 06, 2021 - 3:38 PM NEW YORK (AP) â Stagehands at the Metropolitan Opera planned to return to work Wednesday after recommending their union ratify a new labor contract negotiated following a lockout that started last year. Local One of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) said its full membership will vote July 18 on the agreement that was reached last weekend. "As a result of an overwhelming majority of the Metâs stage and shop crew members voting in favor of submitting a positive recommendation to the full membership to ratify the agreement, IATSE Local One members are expected to begin work in the opera house starting tomorrow," the union said in a statement Tuesday,