Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra musicians have a new four-year contract.
The RPO Board of Directors and its Musicians' Negotiating Committee made the announcement Monday that they’ve reached a collective bargaining agreement.
“The RPO is blessed with an artistically excellent group of musicians; the Board of Directors is exceedingly pleased that those musicians have once again agreed to continue collaborating with us on producing consistently thrilling performances for our audiences,” said Board Chair, Elizabeth Rice. “It is the RPO musicians who make us what we are.”
"The contract negotiations were arduous and methodical," says Musicians' Negotiating Committee Co-Chair Wesley Nance, "but ultimately the contract was ratified by more than a 75% margin. The agreement includes painful concessions in the first two years, with restorations in years three and four. It recognizes the tough financial challenges of the organization, while trying to meet the needs of the musicians. It is our hope that we can work together to continue to make the RPO successful and avoid the problems that have befallen other orchestras around the country."
The orchestra's president and CEO, Charles Owen, says the musicians' contract gives the organization hope and optimism to be successful in a time when orchestras are struggling across the country financially.
Owens says the RPO's 2012-2013 annual campaign is ahead of last year's by $184,000 at this time. Currently, it stands at$1.6 million dollars.
Details on the new agreement have yet to be released.