"The acceptance of the recent pay offer marks a significant milestone for the BBC Performing Groups". Image credit: Shutterstock.
A ballot of the six BBC Performing Groups returned an overall 77% acceptance of the pay offer of a between 2.3% and 2.8% increase to salaries and fees.
The five BBC orchestras will now be the first regional contract orchestras to have achieved a Tutti salary of over £40k (£41,104 to be exact).
We honour a collective aspiration first articulated in 2022
At a meeting of the Orchestra Section in 2022, a consensus was reached that the aspirational salary for a Tutti player should be £40k and the Orchestras team have taken this forward within our collective bargaining endeavours.
Jo Laverty National Organiser Orchestras said "The acceptance of the recent pay offer marks a significant milestone for the BBC Performing Groups.
“With the Tutti salary now exceeding £40,000, we honour a collective aspiration first articulated in 2022. This achievement reflects the strength of our shared commitment and the objectives of our members."
Musicians must be able to earn a sustainable salary and have the value of their work acknowledged
Alex Gascoine, Chair MU BBC Performing Groups Committee said; “The UK boasts some of the best orchestras in the world yet it has long been understood that the salaries of the musicians are too low. Their pay does not reflect the value, expertise and talent these great players bring to making music for our audiences.
“I am pleased that at long last, the lowest paid musician working full-time for the BBC will now earn over £40,000 per annum. However, I urge all other orchestra managements and contributors to the arts and music to do everything in their power to improve salaries in their own orchestras and ensembles.
“If we are to continue to attract the best players to join our orchestras, musicians must be able to earn a sustainable salary and have the value of their work acknowledged.”
Help create change within your orchestral workplace
Work is ongoing to achieve the same level of salary in the other regional contract orchestras.
This work is not possible without the collective strength of our members, particularly our individual union stewards who give up a lot of their time to lead change within their own organisations.
If you are interested in getting more involved in your orchestral workplace to help create this change please contact orchestral@themu.org to find out more.