“The Delaware Symphony Orchestra and its musicians’ union have inked a new contract, allowing the orchestra to present concerts for the next three years, the symphony announced Wednesday,” writes Margie Fishman on Thursday (6/27) at Delawareonline.com. “The agreement is retroactive to June 1 and expires on Aug. 31, 2016…. Previously, both sides were at a stalemate over whether to guarantee a set number of rehearsals and performances for musicians, affecting their overall pay rate. In the end, the DSO board agreed to a sliding scale and musicians took a pay cut, with 10 services scheduled in year one and 20 in year three…. Music director David Amado applauded the musicians for working collaboratively to confront hard economic realities. The symphony cut performances last year to avoid financial collapse…. The contract removes the uncertainty surrounding the symphony’s future, said DSO general manager Diana Milburn. She compared the negotiations to a ‘big dark cloud’ that had been hovering over the orchestra since the last contract expired in August. Musicians had been working under a temporary contract, which expired at the end of last month. The DSO board ratified a new agreement on June 17. Four days later, the union signed off on it.”
Posted June 28, 2013
