By Rachel Lippmann, KWMU
St. Louis – The Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra has signed a new labor deal with its musicians union.
The current contract does not expire until next year, and orchestra officials say the agreement announced Wednesday means four more years of stability.
It gives the orchestra's 96 musicians a 5.6 percent pay raise over the life of the contract; that's about two percent each year.
However the members will be asked to contribute more to their pensions. The deal also adds a 43rd week to the orchestra's performance season.
In 2005, the symphony season was suspended for two months after labor negotiations broke down.