Latest Strike News

On Thursday, October 2, 2008 the musicians of the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra (SSO) went on strike. After approximately one year of bargaining sessions which failed to produce a new collective bargaining agreement, SSO presented musicians on 6/1/2008 with individual agreements entitled “SHREVEPORT SYMPHONY, INC. – MUSICIAN AGREEMENT” which state terms of compensation through 2011…

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Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra Musicians Strike

According to a statement released by the Madison Area Federation of Musicians, Local #166 AFM, the musicians of the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra (WCO) officially went on strike at 7:00PM CT, 10/1/2008 as a result of failing to resolve issues in negotiations relating to job security, attendance, and electronic media. The strike comes two days in advance of the organization’s first 2008/09 season concert…

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Another Ratified Contract

The 9/20/08 edition of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette published an article by Andrew Druckenbrod which examines a recently ratified three year long collective bargaining agreement (CBA) at the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PSO). Although the agreement’s minutia is not yet available, the article touches on the most prominent issues such as contract length and base pay…

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Honolulu Looks Forward With New Labor Agreement

Although it hasn’t garnered much national attention, a major event transpired over the past week in Hawaii as the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra (HSO) reached a three year agreement with their musicians. For an organization that has been plagued by a series of financial problems and board destabilization over the past few years, the agreement should serve as a concrete commitment to earlier sentiments of cohesion between the musicians and the board.

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