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Orchestra members overwhelmingly support contract boosting salaries 18% over 7 years The Gazette October 18, 2005 The musicians of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra approved a strike-ending settlement yesterday, clearing the way for rehearsals today and setting the stage for conductor Kent Nagano to lead the orchestra into the 2005-06 season on Sunday. Late in the afternoon, a clearly delighted Marc Beliveau, violinist and president of the musicians association, emerged from a conference room at the Holiday Inn on Sherbrooke St. W., to announce that 96 per cent of the 87 musicians present had voted to ratify the agreement. The new contract dates back to 2003 and expires in 2010. According to the union, musicians now earn an average of $61,000 a year. Management sets the figure at $75,000. Under yesterday's settlement, the musicians gain 18.23 per cent, spread over the contract's seven years. There will also be a one-per-cent gain for the orchestra's pension fund during the years 2008 and 2009, Beliveau said. Money, however, was not the only issue that kept the parties apart since the musicians walked off the job May 9. The conditions under which the MSO will release one to three discs a year have been renegotiated, allowing the musicians to collect up to 4.5 per cent more per year - plus a share in royalties - depending on the number of recordings issued. All recordings will be live, but the orchestra will be paid for post-concert touch-ups and additions in the studio. Disagreement concerning travelling conditions when the musicians play in New York have also been resolved, Beliveau said. Beliveau acknowledged that MSO devotees might have been angered by the labour dispute. "I hope that the public will be able to understand that we were really defending the quality of this orchestra, that the quality of their orchestra is reflected in the quality of life of the musician who wants to come and live in Montreal," he said. "But we're more than ready and more than anxious to play for (our public), and I hope that they'll be back." Beliveau acknowledged the MSO's deficit and said creative funding solutions were a necessity. "Culture and arts in Quebec are underfinanced," he said. "The MSO has a $17-million budget. It's much too low. We're competing against orchestras with $30, $40 and $50 million a year. The bottom line of a symphony orchestra doesn't illustrate all it brings to a city." Beliveau said he was looking forward to spending time with his wife and 6-week-old daughter. "I've given a lot in the past two years, and I'll be happy to get a normal life again," he said. The agreement was ratified just three days before star conductor Kent Nagano is to arrive in Montreal for the new season. The MSO cancelled its entire summer season - 13 concerts in all - and cancelled several concerts this season, beginning with the opening performance Sept. 20. MSO fan Peter Mendell is thrilled the strike is over, but said he's not entirely surprised by the settlement's timing. "It was predictable," Mendell said. "An important event was needed to get both sides talking. The (imminent) arrival of Kent Nagano was that event." Mendell has been connected with the orchestra for years in a number of capacities and can relate to both sides of the labour-conflict story. He's a senior partner with Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP - the firm that employs former premier Lucien Bouchard. Bouchard is chairperson of the MSO board of directors. Mendell is friendly with members of the MSO management, has been a member of the MSO chorus for 15 years and takes cello lessons from an MSO musician. "As a great lover of music and an admirer of the MSO I'm obviously very happy (the strike) is over," he said "But just because the strike is settled doesn't mean everything is going to be peaches and cream from now on. It's going to take time to rebuild - to re-establish respect and develop the necessary partnership between the musicians and management so that this won't be repeated again in the future." MSO management is expected to deliver comments on the new agreement at a news conference this morning.