“The Los Angeles Philharmonic and the union representing its musicians announced Monday that they’ve reached a new four-year contract that lifts wages by just less than 1% a year,” writes Mike Boehm in Monday’s (9/16) Los Angeles Times. “At the end of four years, the minimum yearly wage for the Phil’s more than 100 musicians will be $154,336, up 3.8% from the $148,700 minimum in the contract that expired Sunday. The minimum wage scale had risen 17% over the previous four-year contract. Certain orchestra members earn more than double the contractual minimum. The agreement, which runs through mid-September 2017, means the 2013-14 season can begin unperturbed with a planned gala concert on Sept. 30.… In a joint news release announcing the contract, management and the union said they were pleased with the outcome.… The contract also includes a housing allowance for musicians, ‘new contributions’ to their retirement plan, which resembles a 401(k), and ‘restructured healthcare plan offerings’ aimed at ‘managing expenses.’ Where many orchestras have struggled since the 2008-09 recession, the Phil has prospered, registering a cumulative budget surplus of $28.8 million in the three post-recession fiscal years for which its public tax returns are available.”
A separate Los Angeles Times article filed on Saturday (9/14) reviews salaries and other data from publicly filed tax returns by the Philharmonic and other orchestras, discussing compensation for music directors and orchestra executives.
Posted September 17, 2013
