Philadelphia Orchestra Musicians Reject Second “Final Offer” Contract

Of the 89 musicians in the orchestra, 81 members have voted against the latest contract offer from its management

With their previous contract expiring on September 10, 2023, musicians of the Philadelphia Orchestra (PO) have voted 81-8 against the latest proposal by its management, the Philadelphia Orchestra and Kimmel Center Inc. (POKC).

This is POKC’s second contract proposal, after 85 PO musicians rejected its first “best and final offer,” citing issues in pay parity with other professional orchestras.

Musicians of the orchestra are calling for better pay, improved leave and retirement benefits, pay parity for substitute musicians, who now earn less than full-time members; and hiring for the orchestra’s 15 vacant positions, among other requests.

Like its first offer, POKC’s second contract supplied a 13.5% increase over three years in the musicians’ base salary, which union leadership alleged does not account for inflation or compete with the salaries of fellow professional orchestras. Subsequently, the union will again be asking a federal mediator to reconvene negotiations.

“This proposal is generous, reflective of their world-class status, and addresses the issues they have deemed most important,” said POKC spokesperson Ashley Berke in the Philadelphia Inquirer. 

“It places them amongst the highest-paid orchestra musicians in the country, in one of the most affordable big cities in the US, and is compatible with the Orchestra’s financial realities and responsibilities as a non-profit organization.”

Further, POKC claimed its latest offer “represents an additional investment of $11.9 million in the musicians during the three years of the agreement,” and would bring average compensation to $212,000 in two years’ time. 

In response, union spokesperson Melissa McCleery claimed that the $212,000 figure is an “artificial inflation” of compensation, as it includes rates that principal players negotiate individually on top of their base salary. 

According to the offer document, the minimum salary proposed would be $167,000 in the second year of the contract. According to calculations, for the PO musicians’ salaries to reach the average of orchestras of a similar caliber — $172,753 — their pay would require a 19.6% increase. 

Amidst the ongoing labor dispute, PO musicians performed at its opening night gala on September 28. On the following day, the union filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board, alleging that POKC has been negotiating in bad faith. 

“The management of the Philadelphia Orchestra has failed to respect the bargaining process for months, all while constantly disregarding the perspectives of the musicians that make the Philadelphia Orchestra possible,” said Ellen Trainer, president of the Philadelphia Musician’s Union. 

“Even more, it has taken recent actions to communicate with musicians in a way that blatantly misrepresents what has been going on during negotiations,” Trainer added. “The union filed these charges because we believe that management’s actions have not only been disrespectful—they have also violated federal labor law.”

“These are meritless charges clearly designed to divert attention from the fact that the musicians of the Philadelphia Orchestra have a strong offer from us on the table,” Berke responded, further adding that POKC has been bargaining in good faith since negotiations started in May 2023. 

On August 20, 2023, PO musicians voted to authorize a strike in the event of a contract stalemate. While negotiations are expected to continue, union leadership has indicated that a strike is still possible.

“We remain hopeful for a positive start to the season that includes a strong and fair contract that puts our wages on par with our peers and at pace with the rate of inflation, so we can continue to produce the finest sound and remain the best orchestra in the world,” said David Fay, PO members’s committee chair and double bassist.