The show will go on. National Symphony Orchestra musicians and the Kennedy Center reached a tentative deal after a strike that lasted just hours. News4’s Darcy Spencer reports.
The National Symphony Orchestra and the Kennedy Center reached an agreement Friday after musicians went on strike earlier in the day and picketed outside the D.C. landmark.
The Kennedy Center said they and NSO musicians reached an 18-month labor agreement.
Musicians walked off the job on Friday morning as part of an effort to secure higher pay, according to their union, the DC Federation of Musicians, Local 161-710, American Federation of Musicians.
Picketers wore matching red shirts and carried signs saying, "Support NSO musicians" and "Keep NSO world-class."
“We would rather be in front of our audience,” Jennifer Mondie, an NSO viola player, said. “We hope that we can reinstate the performances as soon as they can come up with a fair deal to maintain our world-class status.”
The union said the strike would "continue until the Kennedy Center agrees to fair terms in a new collective bargaining agreement."
The NSO announced before 3 p.m. that musicians and the Kennedy center had reached “an agreement in principle” amid “ongoing negotiations.”
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“The NSO is incredibly grateful for the outpouring public support for our world-class artists. We look forward to performing for all of our supporters, patrons, and artists in the days and years to come,” the NSO’s statement said.
Musicians are starting rehearsals for a sold-out gala on Saturday, which previously had been cancelled. The gala and all future performances will proceed as scheduled, the Kennedy Center said.
The Kennedy Center said in a statement: "The Kennedy Center and NSO board and leadership are satisfied that this agreement with the D.C. Federation of Musicians Local 161-710 reflects the world-class artistry of the musicians while recognizing the fiscal realities of the National Symphony Orchestra."
The Kennedy Center said the new, 18-month labor agreement is “valued at $1.8 million in new costs [and] will increase wages by 4% in year 1 and 4% in year 2 with negotiations to commence in early 2026.” The contract offers new health care options and paid parental leave, they said.
“The new contract will bring the base salary for musicians to $165,268 in year 1 and $171,879 in year 2. The NSO musicians will retain their position as one of the highest compensated orchestras in the country,” the Kennedy Center’s statement said.
'Classic union-busting' tactics
The Kennedy Center and the union have been negotiating for months.
In a statement, the Kennedy Center said they and NSO leadership offered a "generous and fiscally responsible" four-year contract to the musicians. The contract included 12% wage growth over four years, which would bring the minimum base salary to $178,840, the Kennedy Center said.
The union said the pay boost offered by the Kennedy Center isn’t enough to keep up with inflation and make up for wages given up during the pandemic. According to the union, each NSO musician voluntarily agreed to give back at least $60,000 of their salary as COVID-19 shut down the performing arts.
The union said musicians in other major cities have received pay increases, including those who work for the New York Philharmonic and Boston Symphony.
Mondie said that the Kennedy Center has used “classic union-busting” tactics.
According to the union, Kennedy Center security tried to stop them from handing out leaflets on Tuesday and threatened to call police. The union said they filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board.
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The strike was the NSO's first in 46 years, the union said.
The Kennedy Center remained open during the strike.
