In Friday’s (5/13) Philadelphia Inquirer, Peter Dobrin reports, “Musicians of the Philadelphia Orchestra voted Friday to extend the terms of a contract-within-a-contract, again holding a scheduled raise in abeyance. The current collective-bargaining agreement with players called for an increase in base minimum salary to $131,000 in March. Players voted then to delay it until May 21, and with this vote, they delayed it for at least eight more weeks, keeping the base minimum at $124,800 through July 15. About 60 percent of the musicians make more than the base minimum. Titled musicians, such as principal and associates, can earn more than double the minimum. The vote comes a month after the board of the Philadelphia Orchestra Association filed for Chapter 11 reorganization. In addition to granting management a stay of the scheduled raise, Friday’s approved deal includes a pledge from management not to seek rejection of the current contract through July 1. … The bankruptcy case continues in U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Eastern Pennsylvania District, later this month. Lawyers from both sides are scheduled to meet in less than two weeks with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service in Washington. At issue are wages and work rules, but the area of sharpest disagreement involves pensions.”
Posted May 16, 2011
