Cleveland Orchestra’s Management and Musicians Announce Terms of New Trade Agreement

Management and Musicians of The Cleveland Orchestra have successfully concluded negotiations for a new three-year trade agreement effective September 3, 2012 through August 30, 2015. The agreement was ratified by the members of the Orchestra through a vote which took place over the weekend.

The agreement sets minimum weekly compensation, benefit levels, and other terms and conditions of employment for the musicians of the Orchestra, who are members of Local 4 of the American Federation of Musicians. In the first year of the agreement, minimum weekly salary is set at $2,333, unchanged from the weekly minimum at the end of the previous agreement. Increases in the subsequent years will set the minimum weekly salary at $2,356 for the 2013-14 season and $2,403 for the 2014-15 season. Additional terms include increases in the medical premiums paid by Musicians, greater flexibility in recording and broadcasting provisions, and twelve donated services which can be scheduled by Management to enhance earned revenue.

Gary Hanson, Cleveland Orchestra Executive Director, and Jonathan Sherwin, Chairman of the Orchestra Committee, which negotiates on behalf of the Musicians, issued a joint statement commenting on the negotiations and the agreement:
“Musicians and Management came to the table with the shared objective of engaging in collegial and collaborative contract talks. The achievement of our goal is a great credit to the negotiators on both sides of the table and to the members of our Board of Trustees who played an active role. Everyone involved feels we reached a productive outcome that provides institutional stability and will allow us to continue to focus over the next three years on artistic excellence, community service, and our all-important fund raising efforts.”

In addition to Jonathan Sherwin, the Orchestra Committee included Mark Atherton, Joela Jones, Jack Sutte, and Rick Stout, represented by attorney Bruce Simon and Leonard DiCosimo, President of the Cleveland Federation of Musicians. The negotiating team for Management comprised Gary Ginstling, James Menger, and Michelle Vectirelis, represented by attorney Frank Buck. Cleveland Orchestra Board President Dennis LaBarre and Trustee members of the Musical Arts Association’s Personnel Committee provided active oversight of the process.