“The Seattle Symphony and Seattle Opera and their musicians’ union, the Seattle Symphony and Opera Players’ Organization, have agreed to a four-year contract extension, through Aug. 31, 2022, that would increase players’ base pay by nearly 12 percent,” writes Janet I. Tu in Monday’s (3/26) Seattle Times. “The musicians’ annual base pay, currently at a minimum of $98,100, will increase each year of the contract by 3.9 percent, 2.5 percent, 2.4 percent, and 2.6 percent, respectively, reaching a final base salary of $109,745 in 2022.… The contract continues to guarantee 47 weeks of work, between the Seattle Symphony and Seattle Opera. The agreement, reached five months before the expiration of the current contract, also includes a new way of funding the pension plan that the symphony says provides for more consistent and stable employer costs, while offering musicians the potential for increased benefits over time. Under both the current and new plan, those who’ve worked at the Symphony for at least 30 years are guaranteed at least $31,680 a year in post-retirement pension benefits. Under the new plan, those who’ve worked less than 30 years are guaranteed at least slightly more than the current $1,056 per service year.”
Posted March 27, 2018
