Philly orchestra, musicians ink deal
Labor agreement gives 15.8% salary increase
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PHILADELPHIA -- Musicians of the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Philadelphia Orchestra Association have ratified a collective bargaining agreement calling for minimum salaries to increase by 15.8% over three years.
The deal announced Saturday night with Local 77 of the American Federation of Musicians covers Sept. 11 this year through Sept. 13, 2026. Increases in the agreement include 6% in the first year, 4.5% in the second and 4.5% in the third. The agreement 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., said in a statement.
The union said the deal requires management to increase the number of musicians hired each year and to ensure the contractual level of 105 musicians and two librarians is met. Substitute and extra musicians will earn 100% of what full-time musicians earn by the third year of service and ensure payment if their engagements are canceled with less than two weeks' notice.
The deal eliminates a lower rate of overtime for playing movies and calls for two days of rest after most Sunday concerts.
Base salary in 2022-23 was $152,256, including electronic media agreement wages. Each musician received a supplemental payment of $750 or $1,500 in each year of the contract, the union said.