FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Sunday, April 5, 2020

After a lengthy arbitration proceeding, one of the country’s top arbitrators has decided to reinstate Liang Wang and Matthew Muckey to the New York Philharmonic.

Mr. Wang and Mr. Muckey were terminated by the New York Philharmonic in August 2018. At that time the Local 802 administration led by Tino Gagliardi challenged the terminations and took the position that the New York Philharmonic’s evidence had failed to establish just cause for the termination of these musicians’ jobs.

The current Local 802 administration has taken strong action against harassment and bullying in the workplace and work related environments. In early 2019, Local 802 established a harassment hotline to enable the union to track and manage workplace harassment to better protect our musicians from work related harassment. In October 2019, Local 802 passed a landmark bylaw which updated and expanded the existing anti-harassment bylaw. It added a new section to further prevent bullying in the workplace and in work related environments. Local 802 stands strongly against any form of discrimination, abuse, harassment or bullying with respect to our members

Our union exists to ensure the rights of all members are protected — that includes those who report harassment in the workplace as well as those who have been subject to potentially unjust termination.

-Local 802 Executive Board, 4/5/20

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