NSO musicians vote unanimously to go on strike
Musicians of the National Symphony Orchestra announced Monday morning that they have unanimously voted to strike against the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
The surprise move by the DC Federation of Musicians, Local 161-71 of the American Federation of Musicians, comes after negotiations broke down over a new collective bargaining agreement, which have been ongoing since May. The two sides reportedly remain far apart on wages and other material issues to replace the old agreement, which expired earlier this month.
NSO musicians claim that their wages have declined by roughly 15 percent (adjusted for inflation) since the beginning of their last contract agreement more than five years ago. The coronavirus pandemic contributed to the downward trend in wages, when the NSO musicians voluntarily provided substantial givebacks in salary. That concession came in the face of the Kennedy Center’s attempt to furlough the NSO musicians, just hours after receiving a controversial multi-million dollar pandemic relief grant from the federal government.
For its part, the Kennedy Center called the union’s demands for a higher wage increase “not financially viable.” The Center also claims that the NSO “ranks among the most highly compensated orchestras in the country,” although the union has pointed out that they are underpaid in comparison to nearby orchestras in New York and Philadelphia.
The musicians could go on strike as early as Tuesday evening, according to the union’s announcement. A strike would force the cancellation of this week’s three concerts by the NSO Pops, with singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles, as well as the orchestra’s season-opening gala Saturday. That sold-out concert, to be led by music director Gianandrea Noseda, was to feature the NSO debut of pianist Yunchan Lim.
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