Seattle settles

Seattle Symphony management and musicians have reached a tentative agreement:

The 23-month, three-season contract — which could be extended for an additional eight months — would immediately cut musicians’ pay by 5 percent until the end of this season, with the current pay scale resuming in 2011. Musicians also would pay a greater share of their health coverage.
In addition, each of the 84 members of the musicians union will contribute $2,010 — for a total of $168,840 — to the Symphony’s Annual Fund.

I’m guessing that the contribution is in lieu either of a retroactive pay cut to the beginning of the current season or a cut in 2011. Money is fungible, after all. But it matters how such things are presented, and of course concessions are a form of contribution to a non-profit orchestra.

This appears to be a more sensible outcome than the parties were headed for.

More coverage is here.