A report in Wednesday’s (9/5) Indianapolis Star states, “The Indiana Symphony Society, the organization that operates the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, and the American Federation of Musicians Local 3, the organization that represents the orchestra’s musicians, have agreed to meet Wednesday. The previous contract expired Sunday. … According to a statement released Tuesday by the ISO, the recently expired contract mandates that the organization carry 82 musicians year-round despite using that number of musicians for less than half the year. Because of recent departures and retirements, the ISO currently has 74 musicians on payroll. … The Society is proposing to reduce the orchestra to 69 musicians while hiring contract musicians for the 20 weeks each year that demand a larger orchestra. This proposal does not include immediate termination of any musicians; instead, it will seek to hit the targeted number by June 2013 through attrition. Base compensation for an ISO musician includes a starting salary of $78,000 and generous health and vacation benefits. The Society also is seeking a 38-week performance season annually that will pay a minimum weekly scale of $1,215, or $46,170 for the first year of the contract, but will retain seniority pay provisions and individual contracts for ‘title chair’ musicians.”
Posted September 6, 2012
