NSO Musicians Avoid Discord Heard at Other Orchestras
Monday, October 29, 2012
(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)Musicians at the
National Symphony Orchestra last month ratified
a new 4-year agreement. The
successful conclusion to negotiations was
“actually quite remarkable in a year that has
seen difficult orchestra negotiations in many
major US orchestras,” reports AFM 161-710
president Ed Malaga. “That the National
Symphony was able to reach an agreement, on
time and with actual salary increases in each
of the four years of its term, is testimony to
the healthy artistic environment of the Kennedy
Center and the good will that exists between
NSO musicians, board and management.” NSO
musicians will receive yearly increases of
1.78%, 2%, 2%, and 2.35% and to address pension
concerns, in the last year of the contract the
musicians as a collective may elect to divert
some or all of that year’s salary increase to
an employer-contribution. “We are all very
proud of what we have achieved together and
hope that it sends the message that the arts
and classical orchestral music are very much
alive and thriving in Washington, DC,” added
Malaga. This year the union also struck a new
4-year agreement the Wolf Trap Foundation that
freezes wages in the first year, with increases
totaling 6.5% over the next three years.
Washington National Opera staff won 8% scale
increases over the 3 year term of the contract
as well as increases in seniority and health
insurance payments. Negotiations with Arena
Stage resulted in a 1-year extension with wages
frozen at the previous year’s levels, after
musicians rejected management demands for large
reductions in scale wages and
minimums.
photo: the NSO
performing at the Capitol Fourth 2012
Independence Day Concert