The musicians of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra have voted to reject a 29 percent first-year pay cut and authorize a strike should contract talks fail.
The union says it offered to take a 22 percent pay cut in the first year of a three-year agreement. It says members will work until at least Sept. 23 under terms of the old contract.
No new talks are scheduled.
Cellist Haden McKay says management's proposed pay cuts for new members "would make hiring the best musicians to fill vacancies even less likely."
The Detroit Symphony Orchestra Musicians vote was held Saturday.
In a statement on its website, the symphony says the economy is bad in the Detroit area and says it can't spend more money than it takes in.