In today’s news and commentary, workers at the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Cleveland Public Library ratify new contracts, while the New York State AFL-CIO endorses candidates for the upcoming midterm elections.

On Tuesday, the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) and its musicians ratified a new three-year contract with 94 percent of the vote, staving off a potential strike that would have been the first in the BSO’s history. Tensions between management and the musicians were driven largely by the BSO’s Board of Trustees’ refusal to renew the current music director’s contract, which expires at the end of the 2027 season. According to a statement by the musicians’ union, the new contract “offers unprecedented artistic collaboration through all aspects of the artistic process,” allowing musicians an increased role in selecting collaborators and shaping the BSO’s artistic direction. The prior contract had expired last Sunday, with a two-day extension paving the way for the new agreement to be reached.

Similarly, on Wednesday, the Cleveland Public Library (CPL) and its workers officially avoided a potential walkout by ratifying a new contract that includes raises, paid parental leave, and new scheduling protections. A strike looked imminent as late as Monday, with the workers’ union announcing that it had rejected the CPL’s “final offer” and the library announcing plans to limit services at its various branches. However, a mere 30 minutes prior to a noon Monday strike deadline, the library and the union reached a tentative agreement, with the new deal placed for a vote before membership two days later. 

Also on Wednesday, the New York State AFL-CIO announced its endorsements at its annual COPE Convention for the upcoming midterm elections in November. Endorsees included incumbent Governor Kathy Hochul, incumbent Attorney General Tish James, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY-08), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY-14), Claire Valdez, the Democratic nominee for NY-07, and Micah Lasher, the Democratic nominee for NY-12, with the latter two winning competitive primaries in deep blue districts this past June. Notably, the New York State AFL-CIO did not endorse Brad Lander, the Democratic nominee for NY-10 and New York City’s former Comptroller, or Daraliza Avila Chevalier, the Democratic nominee for NY-11, who defeated incumbent Rep. Adriano Espaillat with the backing of Mayor Zohran Mamdani in a highly competitive primary. Both faced resistance from D.C. 37, New York City’s largest municipal workers union: Lander and the union were previously on opposite sides of a debate surrounding healthcare benefits for retired workers, while D.C. 37 supported Avila Chevalier’s opponent in the primary.