The musicians of the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington have requested a pay increase of 25%, which the Kennedy Center and the orchestra’s management say is « not financially viable ». Now the NSO musicians have voted to strike after negotiations proceeding for months.
The Kennedy Center and the NSO’s management offered a package that contained a 12% increase in income across a four-year period, as well as further health insurance benefits and the addition of paid parental leave. If this contract had been ratified, the base salary for an NSO player would have been $178,840.
The New York Philharmonic recently offered their players a 30% increase in pay over three years, with $205.000 after three years.
