Philadelphia Orchestra and musicians agree to 3-year labor deal with 15.8% salary increase

PHILADELPHIA — Musicians of the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Philadelphia Orchestra Association have ratified a collective bargaining settlement calling for minimal salaries to increase through 15.8% over 3 years.

The deal introduced Saturday evening with Local 77 of the American Federation of Musicians covers Sept. 11 this yr via Sept. 13, 2026. Increases within the settlement come with 6% within the first yr, 4.5% in the second one and 4.5% within the 3rd. The settlement replaces a four-year contract that expired Sept. 10.

“Following the unprecedented disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, our joint challenge was to find a new and financially responsible path forward,” Ralph W. Muller and Michael D. Zisman, co-chairs of The Philadelphia Orchestra and Kimmel Center Inc., stated in a observation.

The union stated the deal calls for control to increase the choice of musicians employed every yr and to ensure that the contractual stage of 105 musicians and two librarians is met. Substitute and additional musicians will earn 100% of what full-time musicians earn through the 3rd yr of provider and ensure that fee if their engagements are canceled with not up to two weeks’ understand.

The deal removes a decrease charge of additional time for enjoying films and calls for 2 days of leisure after maximum Sunday live shows.

“This contract is a victory for the present and future for the Philadelphia Orchestra,” David Fay, a double bass who has who performed with the orchestra since 1984 and chairs the musicians’ contributors committee, stated in a observation. “We appreciate the leadership of our musical director, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, whose deep respect for us as musicians was evident in his support for a fair contract.”

Base salary in 2022-23 was once $152,256, together with digital media settlement wages. Each musician gained a supplemental fee of $750 or $1,500 in every yr of the contract, the union stated.

Nézet-Séguin, the song director since 2012-13, wore a blue T-shirt supporting the union all through an open practice session at Saratoga on Aug. 11.

The orchestra filed for chapter in 2011 and emerged a yr later. Musicians struck on Sept. 30, 2016, inflicting cancellation of that season’s opening evening, then introduced an settlement two days later.