Bonus, Pay Increase for Orchestra

Pacific Symphony musicians won a 14.7% wage increase spread over the next three years under a new contract between Local 7 of the American Federation of Musicians and the orchestra.

The musicians also received a $50,000 bonus for signing the contract by the end of August. That breaks down into individual bonuses of between $200 and $900 that were awarded on a prorated basis according to the number of rehearsals and concerts at which each musician played last year.

“We offered (the bonus) as a way of including the orchestra in last season’s success,” Pacific executive director Louis G. Spisto said Wednesday.

Said Lynn Johnson, a field representative in the Symphonic Services Division of the American Federation of Musicians, who was part of the negotiations: “It is a generous thing to do. They didn’t have to. But it’s also a way, to put it bluntly, to put cash in people’s pockets while keeping the wages down.”

The new contract covers the period from Sept. 1, 1994, to Aug, 31, 1997. It brings base pay for the Pacific’s section members up to $106.91 per concert and $78.78 per rehearsal this season, and to $117.87 per concert and $86.85 per rehearsal by the 1996-97 season. Assistant principal players receive 25% above that base; principals are paid 50% above the base.

Spisto characterized the talks as “very amiable.”

Johnson agreed. “There are always thorny issues because we obviously have our differing points of view,” she said. “The musicians feel the rate is not up to Local 47 (in Los Angeles) scale, and they have been trying to catch up to that for some time. But they accepted this settlement, and we are reasonably happy with it.”

The contract also added provisions about touring, although there are no plans for any tours, and it clarified language regarding the use of substitute players and the process for promoting orchestra members to fill vacancies.