National Symphony Orchestra Musicians Authorize Strike; Management Engages in PR Battle
Contract negotiations between musicians and management for the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C. have erupted into a public relations battle, following Monday's unanimous vote by musicians to authorize a strike.
"The base wages of NSO musicians have declined by roughly 15 percent (adjusting for inflation) since the beginning of their last collective bargaining agreement more than five years ago," said the musicians in a statement by AFM Local 161-710 that announced the strike authorization. "The union has proposed reasonable wage increases averaging 6.25 percent per year over the next four years. This proposal would keep the NSO in parity with its peers. It also would recognize the substantial give-backs the musicians voluntarily provided the Kennedy Center during the pandemic (which amounted to each musician forfeiting a minimum of $60,000)."
Though they were poised to strike, NSO musicians opted instead to perform their three sold-out concerts this week with Sara Bareilles, while also distributing informational leaflets to the public before the concerts.
The National Symphony Orchestra, performing on Wednesday night.
However, on Wednesday evening Kennedy Center security confronted the musicians distributing the leaflets, ordering them to change locations, or face police intervention. As a result, the musicians union filed an Unfair Labor Practice Charge with the National Labor Relations Board.
On Thursday the Kennedy Center posted a statement on its website characterizing their 3-percent-increase-per-year offer as "a generous and fiscally responsible, new four-year contract."
On Thursday management also posted on the NSO's Instagram and Facebook pages, making a number of statements, including the disingenuous:
A screenshot of the since-deleted Facebook and Instagram post by the NSO.
"NSO musicians are scheduled to work an average of 20 hours a week with rehearsals and concerts, leaving time to pursue teaching or other sources of income." While musicians may be "scheduled" for 20 hours of rehearsals and concerts, it is widely understood that their pay also reflects their considerable and ongoing preparation time.
The National Symphony Orchestra Musicians responded with a "Fact-Check" on their Facebook page.
Meanwhile, the New York Philharmonic announced a major pay raise for its musicians, designed to catch them up to peer orchestras and make up for the pay losses from the pandemic years by raising pay 30 percent over the next three years.
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There are no federal government supported orchestras in the USA, and the musicians are not federal employees.
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September 27, 2024 at 05:39 AM · It’s dismaying to see the same tired old playbook trotted out by the NSO management and board. So much of what is happening there is painfully reminiscent of recent events in my former orchestra. I wish the musicians luck with their NLRB charge and hope they don’t get slow tracked the way we did.