“Musicians in the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra have agreed to a new three-year labor agreement that will raise their base compensation 9.3 percent over the length of the contract and boost orchestra employment from 74 to 76,” writes Jeff Newman in Friday’s (9/16) Indianapolis Business Journal. “The last two agreements—a three-year deal reached in 2009 and five-year pact agreed to in 2012—contained pay cuts … in the wake of the Great Recession…. ISO musicians … will see base compensation go from $70,000 in the 2016-17 season (the final year of their current contract) to $76,500 in the 2019-20 season. The agreement also calls for the musicians to pay a bigger share for health care benefits … and addresses ‘scheduling issues to provide greater work relief,’ the ISO said…. The contract won’t change retirement benefits or the number of annual work weeks, the ISO said…. The ISO cited a ‘string of positive developments’ for allowing it to afford the pay raises. The orchestra has reported three straight years of budget surpluses…. Ticket sales have seen double-digit growth and fundraising has jumped more than 50 percent since 2012-13…. Finances also were boosted by a $10 million donation from the Lilly Endowment.”
Posted September 16, 2016
