(Antonio Calanni, Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
WASHINGTON – The National Symphony Orchestra canceled its season-opening gala after the union representing its musicians went on strike.
The DC Federation of Musicians, local 161-710 of the American Federation of Musicians, struck Friday following the Sept. 2 expiration of its collective bargaining agreement, the NSO and Kennedy Center said.
The NSO season was to have started Saturday night at the Kennedy Center with music director Gianandrea Noseda conducting a program that included pianist Yunchan Lim.
Management said it offered a 13% wage increase as part of a four-year contract and an annual decrease of $1,000 in employee healthcare contributions. Management said the proposal would raise base salary from $159,000 to $180,593.
The previous deal originally was a four-year contract through the 2022-23 season but during the pandemic was extended by one year.
There was no immediate response from the union to a request for comment.
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In a recent turn of events, the National Symphony Orchestra had to cancel its much-anticipated season-opening gala due to a strike initiated by the union representing its musicians. The DC Federation of Musicians, a local segment of the American Federation of Musicians, went on strike following the expiration of their collective bargaining agreement.
Scheduled to kick off at the Kennedy Center, the NSO season was set to start with music director Gianandrea Noseda conducting a captivating program featuring renowned pianist Yunchan Lim. Despite management offering a 13% wage increase over a four-year contract term, inclusive of a yearly decrease in employee healthcare contributions, the union decided to take the drastic step.
The proposal aimed to elevate the base salary of musicians from $159,000 to $180,593. This decision comes in the backdrop of an extension put in place during the pandemic for the previous four-year contract, prolonging its validity till the 2022-23 season.
As this situation unfolds, there has been no immediate response from the union representatives regarding the ongoing strike. Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.
