Wage Scales (as amended 10/29/24)

For recording rates, please contact the Local so we can help determine which agreement is appropriate for your project. For Sound Recording rates, click here.

Definitions

• Continuous Engagements: continuous music where musicians stagger breaks or rotate playing.
• Concert/Show Engagements: Live engagements including but not limited to symphony, opera, ballet, pops, theater, concert, and all engagements involving strings.
• Casual Engagements: Jazz Bands, Nightclub Bands, Corporate Events, and similar, except when strings are engaged.
• Shows with dinner, dance, or other incidental music must be booked as a continuous casual engagement.
• Sound Check: a one-hour call at the performance venue ending no later than one hour before a performance
  
• Classes:
  • All engagements are Class A unless designated as otherwise by the Local 655 Executive Board with the following exception: Theater engagements in halls seating less than 1000 shall be designated Class B.
• Holiday: any engagement ending after 6:00PM on December 24 or December 31.
• Percussion Doubles: each grouping below shall be considered one instrument for doubling purposes:
  • Drum Set
  • Timpani
  • Mallet Instruments
  • Latin/Ethnic hand drum
  • Miscellaneous Percussion (at least 4 miscellaneous instruments in addition to one of the families above)
• Travel/Cartage: applies to each service unless two services are at the same venue with a 2 hour break or less between services, in which case travel/cartage need only be paid on the first service. A move within a venue for the same engagement shall be subject to an additional surcharge equal to 50% of the published rate. Per clarification issued by the Executive Board on 11/18/22, cartage only applies when instruments are actually moved.

Conditions

• Additional Minimum Calls for Casual Engagements:
  • Sunday through Friday ending after 6PM: 3 hour minimum.
  • Saturday ending after 6PM : 4 hour minimum (unless 2 Saturday shows at same venue, in which case 3-hour minimum applies for both shows).
• Rest Breaks:
  • Casual Engagements:
    • Continuous: 5 minutes per hour (may be staggered).
    • Non-continuous: 15 minutes per hour (may not be staggered).
  • Concert/Show: 20 minutes for first 2.5 hours; 5 minutes for each additional half hour (may not be staggered).
  • Breaks must be taken no more than 90 minutes after the start of any engagement.
• Parking: free parking, or reimbursements for all parking fees will be provided.
• Schedule changes: 14 days notice required for cancellations or changes in date/time.
• Engagements beyond the jurisdiction of Local 655 (i.e. “tours”) are subject to per diem and lodging reimbursements to be determined on a case-by-case basis by the Executive Board.
• Any variances from these established wage scales are subject to Executive Board approval.

Compensation

• Base Wages: Casual Engagements (“Club Dates”):
  • Class A

• Class B

• Base Wages: Concert/Show Engagements:
  • Class A

• Class B

• *Principals: the first individual in each of the following sections shall receive principal pay: 2nd Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass, Harp, Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, French Horn, Trumpet, Trombone, Bass Trombone, Tuba, Percussion, Timpani, Drum Set, Keyboard, Saxophone
• *Assistant Principals: the second individual in each of the following sections shall receive assistant principal pay: 1st Violin, 2nd Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass, Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, French Horn, Trumpet, Trombone, Percussion, Saxophone

• Base Wages: Traveling Engagements:

• Premiums (All Engagements)
  • Doubling: 15% for first double, 10% for each additional double
  • Conductor/Leader/Contractor: 200%
  • Concertmaster: 200%
    
  • Single Musician/Non-playing Contractor: 150%
  • Holiday Premium:
    • Ending after 6PM but before 10PM: 150%
    • Ending after 10PM: 250%
  • On stage (for opera/ballet/theater productions) OR in costume (other than standard concert attire) OR in make-up OR move from pit to stage: 10% each
• AFM-EPF Pension Contribution (All Engagements): 8.72% 
•  Please note that under the Pension Fund Rehabilitation Plan there is a surcharge and that the effective rate is 9.59% for all engagements submitted after October 31, 2018. This surcharge does not increase the benefits received.

• Sound Checks: 150% of the prorated hourly rate

Travel and Cartage

• Travel (round trip rates per trip)
  
  • 0-25 miles: $ 0
  • 25 miles to 50 miles: $20
    
  • 51-80 miles: $25
    
  • Over 80 miles: IRS rate per mile (sample rates below)

• Cartage

Music Preparation