On January 10, musicians of the St. Louis Symphony, members of Local 2-197 (St. Louis, MO), ratified an agreement to modify their current CBA for the period of January 11 through August 29, 2021. Under the new agreement, musicians will be paid 85% of base scale wages and 80% of career track and overscale. Prior modifications had musicians paid 78% of base (April 6 through September 9, 2020) and 60% of base (September 11, 2020 through January 11, 2021). The new agreement includes enhanced safety protocols, which have evolved over the previous months of the pandemic. 

Musicians’ negotiation team members Tim Myers, Jonathan Chu, Amanda Stewart, Scott Andrews, and Allegra Lilly, and Local 2-197 President Vicky Smolik, describe their work as truly a team effort on behalf of their colleagues. “This agreement allows our musicians to have greater protection from the COVID-19 virus as well as better health for their personal finances,” Smolik says.

Myers adds, “The musicians are looking forward to bringing the power of music—which the public needs and wants—back to our community. We appreciate the support of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra’s board and our donors.”