WASHINGTON (AP) — The Kennedy Center and the union representing musicians in the National Symphony Orchestra have come to an agreement on a short-term contract after a brief strike that threatened to derail Saturday’s season-opening gala.
The DC Federation of Musicians, local 161-710 of the American Federation of Musicians, went on strike Friday following the Sept. 2 expiration of its collective bargaining agreement, forcing the Kennedy Center to announce the cancellation of its gala. But within hours, the Kennedy Center announced that an 18-month labor agreement had been agreed upon, and Saturday’s concert and the rest of the 2024-25 season will proceed as scheduled.
The short-term contract “will provide all parties time to come together to settle a longer-term agreement that demonstrates our respect for their artistic contributions and maintains the orchestra’s competitiveness in the field,” the Kennedy Center said in a statement.
The NSO season at the Kennedy Center kicks off Saturday night with music director Gianandrea Noseda conducting a program that includes pianist Yunchan Lim. The previous deal originally was a four-year contract through the 2022-23 season, but was extended by one year during the pandemic.
The new holding agreement will increase wages by 4% in the first year and 4% in the second year with negotiations on a longer-term deal to commence in early 2026. The contract will bring the base salary for musicians to $165,268 and then $171,879.
The Kennedy Center statement said the agreement will allow the NSO musicians to “retain their position as one of the highest compensated orchestras in the country.”
Kennedy Center’s opening gala is back on after musicians strike ends with a new deal
