The happiest news of the month is that we have an agreement with the New York Philharmonic! We achieved a great deal for the orchestra with the invaluable help of our counsel, Susan Davis, and the hardest working committee we’ve ever seen.

The Philharmonic musicians had seen stagnation in their compensation almost back to 2011, and even suffered a 25 percent pay cut during the pandemic. They were no longer paid anywhere close to their peer orchestras, especially keeping in mind the cost of living in NYC. The new contract changes all that. Both sides are pleased and relieved to have achieved a contract without a strike.

This is what I told the press: “This is an historic deal that has substantial wage increases for our members and will enable the Philharmonic to attract and retain the best musicians. Our members deserved this raise and we are grateful to have had partners at the Philharmonic who recognized their world-class talent. Local 802 is proud of our work fighting for musicians and believe this agreement will safeguard both their futures and that of the institution as a whole.”

I can share with you a summary of the agreement, which we’ve also posted online:

• Musicians will earn historic wage and pension increases, affirming their status as a world-class orchestra. Salaries will increase by 33.55 percent (compounded).
• The contract reflects a commitment to fairness and confidentiality through both the codification of current practices and the introduction of new processes.
• Priorities are diversity, equity, and inclusion in the hiring of new musicians, the elimination of potential conflicts of interest and personal influence, and increased support for candidates.
• The tenure process will be reviewed by the Orchestra Committee in consultation with representatives from outside organizations. All audition rounds — including finals — will take place behind a screen.
• All voting concerning auditions and tenure review will be done by secret ballot to eliminate any possibility of undue influence by individual committee members.
• Tenure candidates will receive additional formal feedback on a tightly scripted timeline and be paired with musician-mentors to help guide them through the process and to provide transparency.
• Tenure candidates will also be afforded the ability to provide feedback as to how the tenure process is unfolding.

In a joint statement, the musicians said: “We are delighted to announce that we have ratified a new contract. Thank you to the board, the management team, and Local 802 for their collaborative spirit in making this agreement possible. This is a significant milestone in recognizing our responsibility as artistic ambassadors in our industry and community. Together, we took unparalleled steps to improve our audition and tenure processes, working conditions, and compensation. Here’s to a wonderful season of music-making and connecting with our audiences!”

We couldn’t have achieved this victory without your support. Thank you!

Finally, the New York Philharmonic musicians themselves would like to share some of the tools and strategies they used to win their contract. This backstory should be helpful and inspiring to other Local 802 bargaining units who are fighting their own battles for fair contracts. See their story in Allegro here.

BROADWAY

We are moving ahead with the Broadway negotiations. By the time this issue of Allegro comes out, we will have met a few more times with the League. We hope to make progress, but should negotiations break down, we will be staging job actions and calling for all of you to join us as needed. Please respond if you get the call and come out to support your colleagues and yourselves. We’ll keep you posted on Local 802 Instagram and Facebook (plus e-mail blasts as needed).

OFF BROADWAY

In mid-September we sat down with the Off Broadway nonprofit producers to start renegotiating that contract. One of the big goals there is to bring pay up to a living wage level. Granted, the theatres in this group are small and even tiny, but playing a show for any size theatre demands the same skill set and level of skill and should be compensated as such.

AFM TV/VIDEOTAPE

Local 802 is joining the AFM at the table for the TV/Videotape negotiations. Thanks to everyone who showed up for the rally in front of NBC before the first session! (Local 802 produced this great video of the rally.) This contract covers all the live TV bands on late night TV (including “Saturday Night Live”), many award shows (like the Tonys), and various morning news and variety shows. The first round lasted three days and took place at NBC headquarters in Manhattan, where we exchanged and fully discussed each side’s proposals. Our side’s proposals addressed increases in both wages and benefits as well as big-picture items like streaming and A.I. The next round is in early November. Stay tuned.

LOCAL 802’S NEW LOCATION 

We are nicely settled into our new offices at the 10th floor of 25 West 45th Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. Stop by to visit any day and time during business hours. As you know, we are at this temporary location while our main building is undergoing much-needed improvements. Quick update on that project: we are currently exploring alternative financing options to make sure we get the best value for our members’ money, so the timeline to begin demolition and renovation has been slightly extended. We hope to report on more progress next month.

LOCAL 802 ELECTION

The election cycle is upon us. Nominating petitions are going out, signatures are being collected, and campaigns have begun. I want to take this opportunity to inform you of my own decision: I will not be running for election to president. I agreed to step up when the Executive Board appointed me to finish out the last year and a half of Tino Gagliardi’s term. I have fulfilled that commitment. It is now time for others to take over. I wish everyone good luck! Remember that Oct. 15 is the deadline to request an absentee ballot by sending an e-mail to Maureen Cupid (mcupid@local802afm.org). If you don’t request an absentee ballot by the deadline, the only way to vote will be in person on Dec. 3. The official election rules are here and a more readable summary (produced by our Leadership Committee) is here. Good luck to all candidates and thank you in advance for your service!

LABOR POWER 100

Finally, City & State Magazine recently included me in their “Labor Power 100 list” for 2024. This is also a win for Local 802, since it shows our influence and importance in New York politics. In writing about me, the editors of City & State said, “The accomplished harpist is also a longtime labor leader who served on her union’s executive board and a trustee for its health fund. She chaired the musicians’ committee for both the New York City Ballet and the American Symphony Orchestra, along with working on initiatives related to recruitment and retention within Local 802.”