DSO musicians ratify new contract

Musicians at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra announced ratification of a three-year contract Thursday, seven months before the current one expires, the third contract in a row approved well before the deadline. 

Base pay for players in year three will rise from $98,524 to $105,481. That finally bests the $104,650 minimum salary in 2010, before the orchestra's six-month strike and the nearly 23% across-the-board pay cut that followed. 

Under the new contract, musicians will see a pay boost of 5.1% over the three years, though they will also shoulder increased cost-sharing of health insurance premiums. In addition, the number of full-time musicians will bump up by one to 88, still well short of the 96 before 2010. 

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