Please Support Your Cleveland Orchestra Musicians

"We did not want this day to come, but management is unwilling to address our concerns to ensure we continue to attract the talent needed to protect the Cleveland Orchestra. So, having no agreement, management leaves us no option but to go on strike," said Elayna Duitman, Negotiating Committee Chair and a violinist in the Cleveland Orchestra for 16 years.

“The great musicians in the Cleveland Orchestra should be compensated fairly. They should be able to work under safe conditions. And they should have a voice in the audition process," said Jonathan Sherwin, Vice-President of Local 4 of the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada‍. Sherwin recently retired from the Orchestra after 29 years playing bassoon.

The musicians stand ready 24-7 throughout the weekend to work with management to complete a fair contract to ensure we continue to attract and retain the top talent in the world and preserve this “Crown Jewel” of Cleveland.

We want to thank the wonderful people in Cleveland, Northeast Ohio, the state and across the nation and globe who have been so supportive of the musicians and the amazing Cleveland Orchestra.

The musicians of the Cleveland Orchestra have been negotiating in good faith with management for more than two months on a new contract

We are asking for three things in these negotiations:

1. Work rules that can help prevent injuries common in our line of work (such as tendinitis and carpal tunnel syndrome),

2. A role in our audition process that is more than just symbolic or advisory,

3. A compensation package that keeps pace with our peer orchestras.

We have voted to authorize a strike that could begin when our contract extension ends on Sept. 23 at midnight.

We appreciate the outpouring of support from people in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, northeast Ohio, the nation and even across the globe.

We are asking management to agree to a fair contract that keeps one of the crown jewels of Cleveland strong for future generations to come.

The New York Times calls the Cleveland Orchestra “America’s Finest!”

As members of the Cleveland Orchestra, we are proud to represent Northeast Ohio and Cleveland nationally and internationally through our performances, tours and recordings.

But we are also just as proud to call Northeast Ohio our home, and to be part of the great fabric of family, friends, and neighbors that make this area such a great place to live.

We need your backing so please write a testimonial supporting us, and sign up to receive news and updates from us. Thank you.