Florida Orchestra Musicians Get Raise in New Contract
Contracts are an essential part of business. They can outline various business activities, including salary increases.
Musicians with the Florida Orchestra have gotten new contracts, and it’s good news. The 68 full-time musicians received salary increases through August 31, 2029.
The Florida Orchestra, based in St. Petersburg, ratified a new four-year contract with its musicians. The agreement was reached five months before the contract expires. The new contract shows how much the organization has grown.
The agreement is between The Florida Orchestra and the American Federation of Musicians-Florida Gulf Coast Local. The details resulted from collaborative meetings that included management, board directors, and musicians from the orchestra committee.
The collective bargaining agreement between orchestra and the musicians will gradually increase pay over the next four years. They will receive a 3% raise in the 2025-26 season, followed by 4% for the next two seasons. They will then receive 5% in the final year of the contract. In the third year of the contract, the musicians will also gain one extra week of work as well as an extra week of paid vacation.
The new agreement is huge. It will increase the total compensation by 23% over the previous contract. Salary will rise from $50,495 in the final year of the current contract to $62,259 in year four of the new contract.
In March, the orchestra was awarded two generous $1 million gifts intended to support the growth of artistic programs, improve performance quality, and bolster regional music education. These donations reflect the community’s strong confidence in the direction led by President and CEO Ignacio Barrón Viela.
How Contracts Are Used for Salary Increases
Giving employees a raise? Then you should have a contract. Contracts are often used to formalize salary increases, particularly in employment settings with structured pay systems. Here’s how contracts typically come into play:
- Predefined salary increases. Employment contracts or collective bargaining agreements may specify scheduled raises, such as annual increases, cost-of-living adjustments, or merit-based increases tied to performance evaluations.
- Negotiated raises. Individual employment contracts may include clauses allowing for renegotiation of salary after a probationary period, promotion, or successful completion of goals.
- Performance-based clauses. Some contracts include performance benchmarks. For example, if the employee meets or exceeds certain metrics, a raise is contractually guaranteed.
- Renewal terms. When a contract is renewed or renegotiated, salary increases are often a key component of the new terms.
- Legal enforcement: Including salary terms in a contract protects everyone’s legal rights and gives both parties options for legal recourse if those terms aren’t honored.
Learn More About Business Contracts
Sound legal contracts are the foundation of success. Contracts are useful for various business activities.
Orlando business contracts lawyer B.F. Godfrey from Godfrey Legal is here to help your business succeed. We have several decades of experience drafting various types of contacts and business documents. To schedule a consultation today, call (407) 890-0023 or fill out the online form.
Source:
symphony.org/update-salary-raises-for-florida-orchestra-musicians-in-new-contract/
