Phila. Orchestra musicians come to terms on contract, ending strike

The Philadelphia Orchestra's 97th season -- delayed for nine weeks by the longest strike in the orchestra's history -- finally began yesterday with a festive concert at the Academy of Music in Center City. The orchestra's musicians approved a new contract proposal late Monday night. Mayor Ed Rendell's outgoing Chief of Staff David Cohen brokered the agreement. The three-year contract gives the musicians the second highest base salary of any orchestra in the country, as well as increased participation in the orchestra's governance. "This carefully crafted contract creates a balance between the expectations of musicians and the financial interests of the [Philadelphia Orchestra] Association," Peter Benoliel, the association's chairperson, said in a statement. He added that the new contract "allows us to preserve the financial health of the Orchestra for subscribers, donors and musicians." Association spokesperson Mary Loiselle said the new contract will help the two sides to "begin the difficult task of putting the strike behind us." "There will need to be a long healing time," she noted. "But we have major hurdles in front of us, and we need to find new ways to move towards the future." Loiselle said the orchestra will perform its first regularly scheduled concert tomorrow. Subscribers who hold tickets to previously cancelled shows can send them back to the orchestra for a full refund. Getting a refund for cancelled shows will not affect the use of tickets for future shows. In a prepared statement, the orchestra's musical director, Wolfgang Sawallisch, expressed his "gratitude" that an agreement had been reached. "These have been challenging times for everyone who cares about this orchestra," he said in the statement. "Let's work together to assure that the greatness of the Philadelphia Orchestra will continue into the next century." Other terms of the new contract, which expires in 1999, include: · The creation of a new, joint-venture media company to pursue and coordinate all of the orchestra's broadcasting and recording activity. The musicians will receive a fixed portion of the profits, plus half of any excess revenues. The orchestra association will receive the remainder. The two groups will also play an equal role in running the new company. · The creation of a new, nine-member "Millennium Task Force" to review management's performance and plan for the orchestra's future. The musicians, association and local supporters will each receive three seats on the new task force. · The addition of two musicians to the orchestra's 48-member board of directors. · An increase in each musician's annual pension -- from $42,000 to $46,000 per year -- with additional increases pegged to inflation. · The musicians will have fewer rehearsals but will agree to perform several additional concerts without pay. Musicians also will receive the right to approve international tour itineraries.