{"id":3693,"date":"2009-12-30T23:23:36","date_gmt":"2009-12-31T07:23:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/?p=3693"},"modified":"2013-02-07T20:03:44","modified_gmt":"2013-02-08T04:03:44","slug":"strike-authorization-in-seattle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/2009\/12\/30\/strike-authorization-in-seattle\/","title":{"rendered":"strike authorization in seattle"},"content":{"rendered":"

Things aren’t looking good up north at the Seattle Symphony<\/a>, with the musicians and management far apart on numbers for a new contract between the two parties.\u00a0 According to this Seattle Times article,<\/a> a vote to authorize a strike action from the negotiation committee was approved by the rank and file.<\/p>\n

The Seattle Symphony, already beset by immense challenges, including a $4 million debt and vacancies in its two top positions, still has not reached a new contract agreement with its musicians union and could potentially face a musicians strike.<\/p>\n

After some eight months of negotiations, Seattle Symphony management and the Seattle Symphony and Opera Players’ Organization are still far apart on how much musicians should be paid.<\/p>\n

The current contract, reached in 2001 and renegotiated and extended in 2005, expires today, though its terms will remain in effect until a new agreement is reached.<\/p>\n

Symphony management is asking for a five-year contract that calls for a 10 percent wage cut, to below 2005 levels, said violist Tim Hale, chairman of the players union. The musicians’ compensation would not reach 2005 levels again until 2014, Hale said.<\/p>\n

“We were very disappointed” with the proposal, he said.<\/p>\n

The players union, in a meeting with management Tuesday, countered with a 20-month deal that would cut pay for the eight months remaining in this season and increase wages the year after to offset the cut.<\/p>\n

“The decision to ask the musicians to decrease their salaries triggered a lot \u2014 a lot \u2014 of debate at the board and management level,” said board member Jean-Francois Heitz. But “we cannot run on a deficit forever.”<\/p>\n

Seattle Symphony executive director Thomas Philion and board chairwoman Leslie Jackson Chihuly were traveling and could not immediately be reached for comment.<\/p>\n

The union’s entire membership is expected to vote on management’s offer around mid-January, but it’s unlikely members will approve it, Hale said.<\/p>\n

The issue goes beyond what’s in their paychecks, he said.<\/p>\n

“Musicians see this as a pivotal point for the artistic future of the Symphony,” Hale said. Longtime music director Gerard Schwarz is stepping down at the close of the 2010-11 season, and “any new artistic director will be hiring musicians under this agreement. The decisions we make on this bargaining agreement will potentially affect the Symphony for a generation.”<\/p>\n

The Symphony needs to offer competitive wages to attract high-caliber musicians, Hale said.<\/p>\n

Last season, the players’ minimum base pay was $78,750 \u2014 paid by both the Seattle Symphony and Seattle Opera. Hale says that is lower than at comparable orchestras in other cities \u2014 though Symphony management says direct comparisons are hard to make.<\/p>\n

Symphony spokeswoman Rosalie Contreras could not discuss the details of the negotiations but said: “We’re all trying to achieve artistic excellence. It’s our primary mission.” The economy, though, has forced management to “analyze our resources and make decisions,” she said.<\/p>\n

Earlier this year four nonunion staffers were laid off and all nonunion employees took a week of furlough, and there’s a hiring freeze, she said.<\/p>\n

The two sides are so far apart that union members voted earlier this month to authorize a strike, if an agreement can’t be reached \u2014 a move that’s been made a handful of times in Hale’s 24 years with the orchestra. The last time the Seattle Symphony had a strike was about 30 years ago.<\/p>\n

But in addition to the Symphony’s artistic future, the current negotiations are crucial to the orchestra’s financial future.<\/p>\n

The Symphony ended its most recent fiscal year with a $1.2 million deficit and accumulated debt of $4 million. Its endowment \u2014 worth about $24.1 million currently \u2014 is low for an orchestra of its size.<\/p>\n

But that’s because the 106-year-old Symphony is younger than its peers on the East Coast, board member Heitz said. “The endowment is built over time.”<\/p>\n

Heitz said the board and management are working to try to increase ticket sales and donations.<\/p>\n

The union already made $3.2 million in wage and benefit concessions during the last round of contract talks in 2005, Hale said.<\/p>\n

In addition to the contract, the Symphony also faces the daunting task of searching for replacements for Schwarz and executive director Philion, who announced earlier this month he wouldn’t renew his contract when it expires in June. Philion, who led two years of balanced budgets before the current fiscal year deficit, is the Symphony’s third executive director in six years.<\/p>\n

Janet I. Tu: 206-464-2272 or jtu@seattletimes.com<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Here’s a link to the Seattle players’ website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

See also this article<\/a> by Zach Carstensen @ The Gathering Note<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Things aren’t looking good up north at the Seattle Symphony, with the musicians and management far apart on numbers for a new contract between the two parties.\u00a0 According to this Seattle Times article, a vote to authorize a strike action from the negotiation committee was approved by the rank and file.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":303,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[186,2],"tags":[263],"class_list":["post-3693","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-labor-issues","category-the-orchestra-world","tag-seattle-symphony"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pa8kC-Xz","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3910,"url":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/2010\/01\/28\/seattle-symphony-musicians-reach-tentative-agreement\/","url_meta":{"origin":3693,"position":0},"title":"seattle symphony, musicians, reach tentative agreement","author":"Charles Noble","date":"January 28, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"It appears that a long stretch of tense contract negotiations have come to a close without a work stoppage in Seattle. \u00a0The Seattle Symphony and Opera players and management reached a tentative agreement Wednesday after several nearly around the clock negotiating sessions. \u00a0The players have agreed to each pony up\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "labor issues"","block_context":{"text":"labor issues","link":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/category\/music\/labor-issues\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":4317,"url":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/2010\/04\/01\/oso-music-director-to-seattle\/","url_meta":{"origin":3693,"position":1},"title":"oso music director to seattle","author":"Charles Noble","date":"April 1, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"In a stunning announcement to a small group of musicians, staff and board members in Seattle's Benaroya Hall, Carlos Kalmar announced that he will be taking the helm of the Seattle Symphony after current music director Gerard Schwarz ends his tenure at the close of the 2010 - 2011 season.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "the orchestra world"","block_context":{"text":"the orchestra world","link":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/category\/music\/the-orchestra-world\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":593,"url":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/2007\/12\/15\/damning-article-on-seattle-symphony\/","url_meta":{"origin":3693,"position":2},"title":"damning article on seattle symphony","author":"Charles Noble","date":"December 15, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"The New York Times today published an article of not insignificant length dedicated to the Seattle Symphony and its intense level of discord between its musicians and its music director and conductor Gerard Schwarz. Music In Seattle, a Fugue for Orchestra and Rancor By DANIEL J. WAKIN and JAMES R.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "labor issues"","block_context":{"text":"labor issues","link":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/category\/music\/labor-issues\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"conductor Gerard Schwarz","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/12\/16waki190.1.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1113,"url":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/2008\/09\/10\/schwarz-to-leave-seattle-symphony\/","url_meta":{"origin":3693,"position":3},"title":"schwarz to leave seattle symphony","author":"Charles Noble","date":"September 10, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"In a stunning announcement, the Seattle Symphony has issued a release stating that music director Gerard Schwarz will be stepping down at the conclusion of the 2010 - 2011 season. He will take on the role of conductor laureate beginning in 2011. Seattle, WA\u00a0\u201c Gerard Schwarz, Seattle Symphony's Music Director\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "conducting"","block_context":{"text":"conducting","link":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/category\/music\/conducting\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.seattlesymphony.org\/~\/media\/images\/artist%20226x280\/orchestra\/schwarzgerard1cbenvanhouten2202013copy.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":624,"url":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/2007\/12\/29\/letters-in-response-to-seattle-nytimes-article\/","url_meta":{"origin":3693,"position":4},"title":"letters in response to Seattle NYTimes article","author":"Charles Noble","date":"December 29, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"In the upcoming Sunday edition of the New York Times, several letters are printed in the Arts section - you can read the complete letters (as printed) here. Here are some of the best parts of some of them: ...The implication that I was hired by Gerard Schwarz because of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "labor issues"","block_context":{"text":"labor issues","link":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/category\/music\/labor-issues\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":721,"url":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/2008\/01\/30\/seattle-symphony-loses-star-cellist\/","url_meta":{"origin":3693,"position":5},"title":"seattle symphony loses star cellist","author":"Charles Noble","date":"January 30, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"UPDATE 1\/31: see the article in the Seattle Times\u00c2\u00a0 Joshua Roman, the young (age 24) principal cellist hired by the Seattle Symphony in 2006, has informed the orchestra that he will not be returning to his position after the current season ends. I don't want to read too much into\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "music"","block_context":{"text":"music","link":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/category\/music\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"mainphoto2.jpg","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/01\/mainphoto2.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3693","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/303"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3693"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3693\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3693"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3693"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3693"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}