ASOPA: 1996 Strike Archives

"The 10-week strike ended on Wednesday, December 4 after a vote of the players conducted by the American Arbitration Association on an agreement hammered out earlier that week by the musicians and the ASO Management. The new 4-year contract will take wages from $1110 per week in 1996-97 to $1202 per week in 1999-2000, in increments of 0%, 2%, 2% and 4%. In addition, seniority pay goes up 25% in the 4th year of the contract to $1.25/week. Numerous gains were made by the players in the areas of artistic assesment, revolving strings, relief, and other critical issues. A pilot outreach program will also be instituted. The AFM-EP will be instituted in year 2 at 3.75% or scale and go to 4% in year 3. The present pension will be frozen and possibly terminated. The orchestra complement will remain at 95 players, and tenure will remain at 2 years. The settlement came in time for the orchestra to perform all scheduled Holiday concerts. The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Players' Association wishes to thank the Atlanta community, the American Federation of Musicians, The International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians, the Atlanta Federation of Musicians, the Atlanta Labor Council/Stuart Acuff, the Atlanta Journal Journal/Constitution, WGST radio, WABE radio. In addition, we would like to thank the musicians of the following orchestras: Philadelphia, San Francisco, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Boston, Chicago, Milwaukee, Minnesota, St. Paul Chamber, New York Phil, Savannah, Detroit, and National (Washington DC).

We hope the information you find here is useful in your understanding of the recent strike, which began September 20, 1996 and ended December 4, 1996 by the members of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra against the Robert W. Woodruff Arts Center, Inc. "

December 5, 1996: "The 10-week strike ended on Wednesday, December 4 after a vote of the players conducted by the American Arbitration Association on an agreement hammered out earlier that week by the musicians and the ASO Management. The new 4-year contract will take wages from $1110 per week in 1996-97 to $1202 per week in 1999-2000, in increments of 0%, 2%, 2% and 4%. In addition, seniority pay goes up 25% in the 4th year of the contract to $1.25/week. Numerous gains were made by the players in the areas of artistic assesment, revolving strings, relief, and other critical issues. A pilot outreach program will also be instituted. The AFM-EP will be instituted in year 2 at 3.75% or scale and go to 4% in year 3. The present pension will be frozen and possibly terminated. The orchestra complement will remain at 95 players, and tenure will remain at 2 years. The settlement came in time for the orchestra to perform all scheduled Holiday concerts. The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Players' Association wishes to thank the Atlanta community, the American Federation of Musicians, The International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians, the Atlanta Federation of Musicians, the Atlanta Labor Council/Stuart Acuff, the Atlanta Journal Journal/Constitution, WGST radio, WABE radio. In addition, we would like to thank the musicians of the following orchestras: Philadelphia, San Francisco, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Boston, Chicago, Milwaukee, Minnesota, St. Paul Chamber, New York Phil, Savannah, Detroit, and National (Washington DC). We hope the information you find here is useful in your understanding of the recent strike, which began September 20, 1996 and ended December 4, 1996 by the members of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra against the Robert W. Woodruff Arts Center, Inc. " Various Press Releases ASOPA Position Statement Picket Handout Musicians' Response to Management's Q&A Historical Strike Documents What Atlanta is Saying About the ASO/City Council Resolution What the World is Saying About the ASO Strike Concerts Back to ASOPA Home Page
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