In Wednesday’s (9/26) Florida Times-Union (Jacksonville), Larry Hannan writes, “The union representing the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra has agreed to take a pay cut, but not nearly as much as management wants. On Tuesday the musicians offered to cut their pay by 3 percent for the next two years. It would lower the base pay of the 53 musicians from $40,155 a year to about $38,950. That reduction would be for two years, with orchestra members then going back to their current salaries in the third year. … Management has demanded the union take a 20 percent cut in salary, to about $32,308 per year. It also wants to drop the season from 37 to 33 weeks, something the union opposes. Symphony board chairman-elect Martin Connor, said the offer was a positive first step. ‘We are delighted that they seem to be willing to concede that there are financial troubles,’ Connor said. ‘But this offer would still leave us with a loss of over $1 million.’ Management claims the financial situation is precarious with a $3 million deficit and $1.1 million lost in the last three years, while union officials argue that taking additional interest from the $14 million in endowment and foundation accounts would help add additional funds to the operating budget each year. … Union members had the option to strike, but last week said they would not do that.”
Posted September 26, 2012
