On Saturday, Feb. 1, for the first time in the prestigious 100-year history of the Manhattan School of Music, the Association Representing Teaching Staff at Manhattan School of Music (ARTS-MSM) Precollege Faculty Union went on strike. For 10 hours, ARTS-MSM members were joined by other union members from labor organizations throughout New York City and the state to protest unfair labor practices, substandard pay and proposed class size increases.
“The support we have received from our union siblings has been overwhelming,” said Adam Kent, president of ARTS-MSM. “We did not want to take this action. But the school has refused to negotiate a fair contract for our members. The school wants to increase class sizes, which will hurt our students and our world-class music education programs. We will not allow that to happen.”
ARTS-MSM membership has been working without a contract since their previous one expired in August 2024. Faculty members earn 43% less than their colleagues at peer institutions. A vote authorizing the strike passed with 98% of the vote.
Union members walked the strike line for 10 hours outside the Manhattan School of Music, chanting and singing songs. Joining the strike line and offering words of encouragement to ARTS-MSM members were Assemblymembers Micah Lasher and Alex Bores. Strikers specifically called out Manhattan School of Music’s president, James Gandre, for his refusal to negotiate in good faith.
“We are negotiating for dignity,” said Kent. “We are negotiating for our students. Our teaching conditions are their learning conditions, and it is time for President Gandre to restore the pride to this prestigious institution.”
Letters of support have poured in from fellow labor organizations in support of the action by ARTS-MSM. Those letters are listed in full below and are from, in order, the American Federation of Teachers, New York State United Teachers, UFT, UUP, PSC-CUNY, NYCCLC AFL-CIO, Local 802, IATSE 829, WGAE, City Council member Keith Powers, MSM College Faculty Council, and Professional Staff Association.
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS
To the members of the ARTS-MSM Precollege Faculty Union:
On behalf of the AFT officers and the AFT’s 1.8 million educators, healthcare professionals and public employees—and joining our affiliates NYSUT and PSC-CUNY—we stand wholeheartedly with you in your fight for a contract with just wages and benefits and sustainable working conditions that allows you to continue to offer top-quality instruction and support to your students. You are a key reason the Manhattan School of Music is ranked one of the best music schools in the country.
MSM is flush with revenues, and its endowment is flourishing. While MSM prospers and tuition rates steadily increase, Precollege faculty are barely getting by on substandard wages (with no health benefits) in one of the world’s most expensive cities. Indeed, its costs for administrative salaries nearly doubled between 2016 and 2023. It’s not right that President James Gandre lives in a rent-free penthouse while you struggle to make ends meet.
Your peers at Mannes Prep and Juilliard are paid more than you, yet MSM, after five months under an expired contract, seeks to lock you into a five-year contract that does not approach the pay of your peers. These conditions are already driving Precollege faculty away from MSM. That’s a terrible loss to your students, to the quality and reputation of a storied music conservatory, and to performing arts in New York itself.
Educators’ working conditions matter so much because they are students’ learning conditions. MSM should be investing in the classroom and all the other work you do to help students prepare for concerts, performances and admissions to college music programs.
The AFT has fiercely championed investing in the arts. It’s a key part of our mission to win a better life for our members and the people they serve. I urge MSM to reverse course and start working with you toward a contract that recognizes and rewards Precollege faculty—one that focuses on keeping MSM a prestigious conservatory centered on quality instruction. Thank you for your courage in advocating for your profession and your students. The AFT will continue to stand strong and united with you in this fight.
In solidarity,
Randi Weingarten
President, American Federation of Teachers
NEW YORK STATE UNITED TEACHERS
Dear President Gandre,
New York State United Teachers is proud to stand in solidarity with our members in the Association Representing Teaching Staff at Manhattan School of Music (ARTS-MSM) as they fight for a fair contract that recognizes their critical importance to their students and their community.
We urge MSM leadership to think about the world-class musician-teachers who are paid nearly half of what their peers at similar institutions are earning. Ensuring fair wages and retaining these dedicated artists is how MSM will continue to provide the highest quality music education for generations to come.
New York City’s status as a vibrant cultural center stems largely from the music and creative arts programs it houses. And, because of its talented faculty, MSM has been at the forefront. The MSM instructors must be supported and valued as the professionals they are.
It’s time for MSM to prioritize making music over making money. Last weekend, NYSUT’s Board of Directors unanimously passed a motion giving ARTS-MSM the full support of our nearly 700,000 members - every step of the way.
Sincerely,
Melinda Person
President, New York State United Teachers
UNITED FEDERATION OF TEACHERS
Dear President Gandre,
As educators and union members, The United Federation of Teachers stands with the Manhattan School of Music (MSM) Precollege faculty members of ARTS-MSM, Local 6498 of NYSUT who are fighting for a fair and a restorative contract that brings pay rates in line with peer institutions and guarantees no increase in class sizes.
The education of our young people is one of our most important obligations, and the arts must be a part of the holistic education that they deserve. It is vital that important centers of arts education like MSM Precollege are able to provide our youth with music training at a world-class level, something that is only possible if teachers are paid fairly.
Culture is an irreplaceable part of what makes New York the greatest city in the world. The talented musicians that make up the faculty of MSM Precollege are a vital part of the cultural sector in NYC. It is vital that musicians, artists, and other cultural workers are able to remain part of the fabric of New York City by earning a decent wage for their work.
We stand with the Precollege Faculty in their fight for a fair contract. We offer this statement of support and urge the leadership of Manhattan School of Music to consider and honor the needs of their distinguished and devoted faculty.
Sincerely,
Michael Mulgrew
President
UNITED UNIVERSITY PROFESSIONS
UUP stands in solidarity with our union siblings at ARTS-MSM – the Association Representing Teaching Staff at Manhattan School of Music – whose contract expired 5 months ago. Members of ARTS-MSM have overwhelmingly voted to authorize a strike in the face of management’s refusal to settle a contract with fair compensation for the Precollege Faculty.
Over the past decade, as MSM’s revenues and administrative compensation have risen, Precollege Instructor pay has fallen far behind that of peer institutions. UUP members know that competitive compensation sets educators up for success and allows our institutions to recruit and retain skilled faculty and professionals. It’s time for MSM to do the right thing and agree to a fair compensation package.
We are proud to support ARTS-MSM as they fight for a fair contract, and we’ll stand with them on the picket line if they must take strike action.
Frederick E. Kowal
President, United University Professions
PROFESSIONAL STAFF CONGRESS-CUNY
The PSC-CUNY is proud to stand in solidarity with our NYSUT union siblings at the Association Representing Teaching Staff at Manhattan School of Music (ARTS-MSM), who have overwhelmingly voted to authorize a strike as they face management intransigence in their fight for a fair contract.
ARTS-MSM members have been working under an expired contract for five months. PSC members know firsthand the challenges of working under an expired contract while the cost of living in New York City continues to rise. We also know that non-competitive wages damage educational institutions’ ability to recruit and retain skilled instructors. Instead of hiring high-priced lawyers to fight the workers that make their programs possible, MSM management should show respect to the union and agree to financial terms that set instructors up for success.
No educational institution can serve students effectively without treating their instructors with dignity and paying them fairly. The PSC expresses our support for the ARTS-MSM unit as they escalate their fight and will be proud to stand with them on the picket line if a strike becomes necessary.
James Davis
President, Professional Staff Congress-CUNY
NEW YORK CITY CENTRAL LABOR COUNCIL, AFL-CIO
"The dedicated faculty of ARTS-MSM are the backbone of one of our City’s premier music institutions, and they deserve a contract that reflects their talent, commitment, and the vital role they play in shaping the next generation of musicians," New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO President Vincent Alvarez. "It is unacceptable for MSM’s administration to undervalue these educators while expecting them to uphold the high standards of excellence that students and families rely on. The New York City Labor Movement stands in full solidarity with the musician-teachers of ARTS-MSM in their fight for fair wages and a strong contract. The time for MSM to do the right thing is now."
Vincent Alvarez
President, NYCCLC, AFL-CIO
LOCAL 802
Local 802 stands with the musician-teachers represented by ARTS-MSM, the union of Manhattan School of Music Precollege Division faculty, in their struggle for a fair contract! Many Local 802 members teach in this program, contributing their invaluable experience as performing artists to the education of young musicians. We know that the future of our profession lies in the development of new talent, and that pedagogical excellence is the key to nurturing tomorrow’s musicians and audiences for musical performances.
The faculty of MSM Precollege are paid on average a fraction of what their colleagues at peer institutions make or the rates they command when they teach privately. In many cases, studio teachers directly recruit their private students to study at MSM Precollege, effectively agreeing to a huge pay cut in the interests of the student and the program. In fact, studio teachers at MSM are generally assigned only students they recruit or who request to study with them, and all teachers in the division are eligible for work only “as assigned”.
Years ago, MSM revoked health insurance benefits to Precollege faculty, further reducing the value of compensation. Thus, between the lack of reliable income and the absence of benefits, the need for respectable hourly rates has become all the more critical. In a recent e-mail to Precollege parents, MSM President James Gandre disingenuously tried to project the School’s current wage proposals onto a 40-hour, 52-weeks-a-year model. Any Local 802 member in the gig economy will instantly recognize the absurdity of such reasoning given the realities of a gigging musician.
ARTS-MSM has dug deep into the school’s finances, studying publicly filed tax documents and internal audited financials. It has become eminently apparent that MSM has more than ample resources to pay Precollege faculty industry-standard rates NOW. Moreover, the division is clearly a cash-cow to the institution, generating impressive profits each year from high base tuition rates ($11,250 a year) as well as exorbitant surcharges (currently an additional $2,900 a year) on the students of some teachers.
Local 802 supports these hard-working teachers as they fight MSM’s attempts to lock them into a 5-year contract of continued sub-standard pay. We urge our members and the music-loving public to write to MSM President James Gandre at jgandre@msmnyc.edu to demand a prompt resolution to this dispute by offering industry-standard pay to the people who do so much for our profession.
Bob Suttmann
President, Local 802
IATSE 829
“Fair wages for fair work—it’s just that simple. USA 829 stands in full solidarity with the Precollege Music Educators at Manhattan School of Music (MSM) in their fight for a fair contract. These dedicated instructors are not only shaping the next generation of musicians but also laying the foundation for the performing arts in New York City. MSM’s revenues continue to grow dramatically, yet faculty pay remains stagnant and far below institutions like Mannes and Juilliard. Educators—who are the backbone of this program—deserve no less than fair compensation for their hard work and dedication. USA 829 supports their fight for a contract that ensures a sustainable future for both the faculty and the students they inspire. It's a grave injustice when those who shape future leaders and artists are not paid adequately; it’s time for MSM to right this wrong.”
Josh Austin
National Director, United Scenic Artists, Local USA 829, IATSE
WRITERS GUILD OF AMERICA EAST
The Writers Guild of America East (WGAE) stands in solidarity with striking teachers at the Manhattan School of Music in the ARTS-MSM Precollege Faculty Union, Local 6498 New York State United Teachers (NYSUT), who are fighting for a fair contract.
The Manhattan School of Music precollege program is one of New York City’s most prestigious music education programs whose revenue has continuously grown over the last decade, as has the pay of the school’s administration. Ultimately, the students stand to benefit the most from a fair contract for school faculty.
Lisa Takeuchi Cullen
President, Wristers Guild of America East
CITY COUNCIL MEMBER KEITH POWERS
I’m proud to be standing in solidarity with the striking faculty members at the Manhattan School of Music.
Today marks the first strike in the institution’s over 100-year history, spurred by this union’s desire to secure a fair and just contract for their members— who are facing rising living costs, depressed wages compared to colleagues at similar institutions, and negotiating partners unwilling to bargain in good faith.
These musician/teachers are exactly the kind of talent that makes our city exceptional. We must do everything we can to support these artists so they can continue making our city great— that starts with a fair contact.
Keith Powers
New York City Council
MSM COLLEGE FACULTY COUNCIL
The MSM Faculty Council hopes that the Administration will agree to provide fair and just compensation and work conditions comparable to its peer institutions.
We support the MSM Precollege Faculty in their negotiations for an equitable contract.
PROFESSIONAL STAFF ASSOCIATION
Dear President Gandre,
I am writing on behalf of the Professional Staff Association, to express our unwavering support for the members of ARTS-MSM Precollege Faculty Union. We stand by the workers in their efforts to secure fair treatment, adequate working conditions, and the compensation they deserve.
The ongoing labor dispute highlights the urgency of the issues at hand, which include fair and equitable wages and maintaining class sizes for optimal learning. The school has been highly profitable and it is your responsibility to fairly compensate the high quality faculty that makes the Precollege so strong and successful. We firmly believe that these are not just issues impacting the workers, but they are also crucial factors that contribute to the long-term success of the students and the school.
We strongly urge you to negotiate in good faith and to work collaboratively with the union to resolve these issues in a manner that benefits all parties. We are hopeful that through meaningful negotiations, a fair and lasting agreement can be reached that will allow for the resolution of this dispute and restore a positive working environment for all involved.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter. We look forward to hearing from you and hope to see meaningful progress toward a fair resolution.
Sincerely,
Jason Lasky
President, Professional Staff Association