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Philly Pops musicians say they are prepared to strike if needed amid talk of closure

Pops leadership says they plan to meet with American Federation of Musicians on Wednesday.

Philly POPS music Director and Principal Conductor David Charles Abell (center) along with members of The Philly POPS Festival Chorus, The Philadelphia Boys Choir, the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas Gospel Choir, and Santa receive applause at the conclusion of A Philly POPS Christmas: Spectacular Sounds of the Season at the Kimmel Cultural Campus in early December.
Philly POPS music Director and Principal Conductor David Charles Abell (center) along with members of The Philly POPS Festival Chorus, The Philadelphia Boys Choir, the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas Gospel Choir, and Santa receive applause at the conclusion of A Philly POPS Christmas: Spectacular Sounds of the Season at the Kimmel Cultural Campus in early December.Read moreElizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
    by Rita Giordano
    Updated 
    Published 

Facing an uncertain future and a dearth of information, the Philly Pops musicians said Tuesday they are prepared to go on strike unless Pops owners — who announced plans last month to close the company — commence good-faith negotiations.

“There is no reason to stonewall these workers’ needs,” said Ellen Trainer, president of the American Federation of Musicians, Local 77, the Pops musicians’ union at a news conference Tuesday. “There’s no reason to send them home for the holiday with no idea how their families are supposed to budget for the new year.”

» READ MORE: The Philly Pops is shutting down, leaders say

According to union leaders, the musicians have been trying to negotiate contract commitments with Philly Pops management since August without success. They learned on Nov. 16, the same day as the rest of the city, that Pops owner Encore Series Inc. planned to end their productions.

Since then, the union members have heard inconclusive reports about whether the Pops will continue past the current season, if the musicians’ positions will be protected, and answers to questions about the organization’s finances.

The Pops’ owners have cited declining attendance and profits, but union members say they are seeking protection as professionals, many of whom have served for decades with the Pops.

“We just need them to provide accurate information in a useful, legal format and to negotiate in good faith,” Trainer said. “No more games while people’s livelihoods are at stake,” referring to an alleged federal labor law violation the union has filed against the owners.

» READ MORE: The Uptown Theater and Philly Pops are in talks to renovate the North Broad landmark

On Sunday, 95% of the Pops union musicians voted to authorize a strike if such an action was deemed necessary. The Pops season runs through July 2023.

Karen Corbin, chief operating officer for Philly Pops/Encore Series Inc., said, “We are actively addressing the concerns expressed by the local’s leadership against the backdrop of the economic challenges driven by the pandemic and its aftermath.”

She said the company and the union are scheduled to meet Wednesday.

“We, of course, hope to achieve a resolution satisfactory to all parties,” she said.