{"id":379,"date":"2014-08-08T02:00:55","date_gmt":"2014-08-08T02:00:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/?p=379"},"modified":"2015-01-09T16:17:59","modified_gmt":"2015-01-09T21:17:59","slug":"pittsburgh-symphony-orchestras-september-1975-strike","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/2014\/08\/08\/pittsburgh-symphony-orchestras-september-1975-strike\/","title":{"rendered":"Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s September 1975 strike"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"(Photo <\/a>
(Photo by Morris Berman\/Post-Gazette) <\/div> <\/div>
\"(Photo <\/a>
(Photo by Morris Berman\/Post-Gazette) <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Oct. <\/a>
Oct. 24, 1975: Pittsburgh Symphony chief flutist Bernard Goldberg plays on the picket line outside Heinz Hall. (Morris Berman\/Post-Gazette) <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"(Photo <\/a>
(Photo by Morris Berman\/Post-Gazette) <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"(Photo <\/a>
(Photo by Morris Berman\/Post-Gazette) <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

Labor strife has plagued orchestras and opera companies across the country in recent years, but a Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra musicians\u2019 strike in 1975 illustrates that such issues have long affected classical music organizations.<\/p>\n

On Sept. 29, 1975, the 104 orchestra members went on strike for 46 days after an extension on their contract had expired.<\/p>\n

They\u2019d passed on a proposed $90 weekly salary increase over three years, claiming that additional work would account for almost half of that raise.<\/p>\n

Local 60-471 of the American Federation of Musicians picketed outside Heinz Hall. The work stoppage affected not only PSO concerts, but also Pittsburgh Ballet Theater shows and Pittsburgh Opera performances in which the musicians also performed. The negotiations required the intervention of a state mediator, The Pittsburgh Press reported.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s too bad we had to go out (and strike),\u201d said union president Herbert Osgood, \u201cbut we want to make Pittsburgh the absolute tops in the symphony world.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eventually, the musicians and the Pittsburgh Symphony Society agreed to a new contract, which included a gradual, three-year increase in weekly base salary, from $305 to $400 (between $1,350 and $1,800 in 2014 dollars).<\/p>\n

It remains the only strike in PSO history.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On Sept. 29, 1975, the 104 orchestra members went on strike for 46 days after an extension on their contract had expired.<\/p>\n

Look at the picturesPittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s September 1975 strike<\/span><\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":380,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"gallery","meta":{"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true},"categories":[948],"tags":[1217,980,986,1014],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/tumblr_n9yez2IlwL1rr5swxo1_1280.jpg?fit=1280%2C930&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":146,"url":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/2014\/10\/20\/life-and-death-of-the-syria-mosque\/","url_meta":{"origin":379,"position":0},"title":"Life and death of the Syria Mosque","date":"October 20, 2014","format":"gallery","excerpt":"The Syria Mosque was a colorfully regal presence on Bigelow 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