Overview

• Musicians served the Vancouver Symphony Society with a 72-hour strike notice on Monday, the first such action in the orchestra’s 107-year history.
• Players voted 97.4% to authorize a strike while continuing to perform under an agreement that expired on July 1, 2025.
• A walkout could begin within days if no deal is reached, jeopardizing upcoming performances including Star Wars: Return of the Jedi in Concert on September 25–26 at the Orpheum.
• The union reports the employer’s last offer was a 15% raise over three years, while musicians proposed 23% over the same term plus a working raise, citing base pay around $75,000 versus nearly $100,000 in Toronto.
• VMA says the employer has cited limited financing for constrained spending, and the musicians have received public support from fellow orchestra groups and CUPE BC.