With contract expired in June, ushers at the Kimmel Center threaten strike
The strike could come in a week when Philadelphia Orchestra concerts and 'MJ the Musical' are on the schedule.
Ushers at the city’s largest arts center have voted to authorize their union leaders to call a strike after months of negotiations failed to produce a contract.
The attendants working in the Academy of Music, Kimmel Center (Marian Anderson Hall, Perelman Theater, and other venues in the complex), and the Miller Theater voted down a Dec. 30 contract offer, according to a statement released by IATSE Local B29 on Sunday.
“Now, these dedicated front-of-house professionals are preparing to strike as soon as Jan. 8 if management refuses to return to the bargaining table with a fair offer,” the union statement said.
Philadelphia Orchestra and Ensemble Arts (POEA) management said in a statement that “after six months of good faith negotiations, we are disappointed in the decision by IATSE Local B29 to authorize a strike.”
The statement said that management’s proposed wage increases plus vacation time kept the workers “among the most generously compensated ushers nationwide.”
The ushers’ last contract expired June 30, a POEA spokesperson said. Management’s current offer calls for a 22% raise in hourly wages over five years between January 2025 and July 2029, according to documents obtained by The Inquirer. The union is asking for 27% in raises in a contract backdated to July 2024 and running through January 2029.
“We’re points away,” said Richard Montgomery, president and business agent of IATSE Local B29, of the respective sides’ positions. “Why would we strike when we’re points away? Because that’s where we are.”
The union is also seeking changes to work rules, plus the right to work at all events beyond concerts in the Kimmel Center, such as weddings; work at orchestra events outside the Kimmel Center, like its annual concert honoring Martin Luther King Jr. at Girard College; meals for ushers working double shifts; and Sunday overtime pay.
“We will continue to work together to reach an agreement that recognizes the contributions and dedication of the ushers within the financial realities of our nonprofit arts organization,” said the Philadelphia Orchestra and Ensemble Arts statement.
Among the Kimmel Center performances scheduled this week are Philadelphia Orchestra concerts of Mahler’s Symphony No. 9 in Marian Anderson Hall and the opening of MJ the Musical in the Academy of Music.