With picket lines gone, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra concerts set to resume October 10 with Saint-Saëns' Third Violin Concerto
With the help of a mediator, the musicians and the VSO Society have come to a tentative agreement
The VSO is ready to perform again after strike action that started September 25.
THE VANCOUVER SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA is preparing to welcome audiences back into the Orpheum for Stella Chen’s performance of Saint-Saëns’ Third Violin Concerto on October 10, following the end of picket lines by musicians.
The Vancouver Musicians’ Association Local 145 AFM and the Vancouver Symphony Society announced over the weekend that they had come to an agreement in principle, with the assistance of a mediator, after what the VMA described as “two intense days” of negotiation.
“We will also resume our regular concert schedule and a thrilling season of inspiring performances from Friday onwards,” the city’s largest arts organization posted today. “This agreement is the product of our commitment to the VSO and its place at the heart of our community. We are grateful for the patience, understanding, and support shown by our musicians, directors, patrons, subscribers, donors, and the broader Vancouver community throughout this process.”
“What has stood out most throughout this challenging period is the extraordinary support we’ve received from our community,” Musicians of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra posted. “Hundreds of audience members, musicians from our peer orchestras, and concerned members of the public took the time to write heartfelt letters to us and to our CEO, and showed their encouragement through generous donations to the musicians.”
Details of the settlement have not been released. Members are to vote on ratifying the agreement this week.
The musicians had been without a contract since July 1, walking off the job on September 25 after serving a 72-hour strike notice. It was the first such job action at the VSO in its 107-year history.
The players had called for higher wages to match those of peers in Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa, asking for a 23 percent raise over three years.
The labour action had led to the cancellations of several concerts over the past week, including Star Wars: Return of the Jedi in Concert, the kickoff of viral duo TwoSet Violin’s world tour, and The Path Forward Indigenous concert that included a free performance by 2-Spirit artist Jeremy Dutcher at the Orpheum. 
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