National Symphony Orchestra on strike for the first time since 1978

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National Symphony Orchestra on strike for the first time since 1978
Negotiations between the Kennedy Center and the union representing the orchestra musicians fail to reach agreement on wage increases.


The National Symphony Orchestra performs at the Kennedy Center in February. (Craig Hudson for The Washington Post)

By Michael Andor Brodeur
September 27, 2024 at 11:39 a.m. EDT

On Friday, the musicians of the National Symphony Orchestra went on strike, following through on a unanimous vote to authorize such an action reached by the musicians’ union Sept. 20 and disrupting the orchestra’s 94th season. The orchestra’s Season Opening Gala, scheduled for Saturday, has been canceled.

“For the first time in 46 years, the 90+ musicians of the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) have called a strike against their employer, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts,” read a statement released Friday morning by the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Federation of Musicians, Local 161-710, American Federation of Musicians. “The parties have been in negotiations since May, but they remain far apart on wages and other important issues.”

In a statement Friday, the Kennedy Center said that the organization “remains committed to working in good faith towards a fair contract that will enable the institution to shape its future in a way that is both responsible and economically sustainable.” The center will remain open to visitors during the strike, and the status of future NSO concerts, as well as other impacted performances, will be determined in the coming days.

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By Michael Andor Brodeur
Michael Brodeur is a classical music critic at The Washington Post. Brodeur served as lead music critic and music editor at the Boston Phoenix before serving as an arts editor and cultural critic at the Boston Globe. follow on X @michael_brodeur

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1. National Symphony Orchestra musicians strike ends on high note with new labor agreement with Kennedy Center

National Symphony Orchestra musicians strike ends on high note with new labor agreement with Kennedy Center

José Umaña | [e-mail]
September 27, 2024, 4:00 PM

Musicians from the National Symphony Orchestra and the Kennedy Center have finalized a contract, ending a brief strike in D.C. on Friday that threatened the cancellation of some performances.

The new 18-month labor agreement, valued at $1.8 million, will increase wages by 4% in the first year and 4% in year 2, with negotiations to start in early 2026, the Kennedy Center said in a statement later Friday.

“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 statement said.

The negotiations had been going on since May, with the musicians advocating for better wages on par with other orchestra members throughout the country.

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WTOP’s Abigail Constantino contributed to this report.

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José Umaña
José Umaña is a digital editor for WTOP. He’s been working as a journalist for almost a decade, covering local news, education and sports. His work has appeared in The Prince George’s Sentinel, The Montgomery Sentinel, Orlando Sentinel, PressBox and The Diamondback.
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