“kids at Christmas with no presents” In Jacksonville

Jaxrevealed
Recently, an email message from Tom Beames, Jacksonville Symphony Association (JSA) Executive Board member and Vice Chair of Artistic Affairs, to his fellow JSA Board members generated a great deal of attention when the message (in part and in whole) began appearing at several online discussion boards, including the JSO Lockdown Facebook group. In that email message, Vice Chair Beames congratulates JSA Board Chair Jim Van Vleck and Executive Director Alan Hopper "on standing firm and showing strength" during the December 14 bargaining session. However, Vice Chair Beames also expresses belief that "the heartstrings
of kids at Christmas with no presents certainly will have an impact" on
the $60,000 in differences between the current offers from the JSA and
the Jacksonville Symphony Players’ Association (JSPA)…

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Some Thoughts On Jacksonville

Following the latest round of negotiations on December 14, 2007 the Jacksonville Symphony Association (JSA) and the Jacksonville Symphony Players’ Association (JSPA) were a mere four percent apart on financial issues (details here). That ground was covered due to significant concessions from the JSPA, who have been locked out since the middle of November. Nevertheless, even though both sides were able to cover so much ground, the JSA plans to follow through with plans to cancel the musician’s health care coverage in less than one week. Frankly, there’s simply no good reason for them to adopt this position…

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Jacksonville: $1.25 Mil. In Concessions But Lockout Ensues

Although a 15 hour negotiating session on December 14, 2007 yielded $1.25 million in concessions from musicians, the Jacksonville Symphony Association (JSA) and the Jacksonville Symphony Players’ Association (JSPA) were unable to craft a final agreement. As a result, the current lockout will continue well into the opening weeks of 2008. Furthermore, the JSA will carry out plans to cancel musician health care coverage at the end of December…

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Tampa Settles While Jacksonville Remains Locked Out

On Sunday,
12/9/2007 the musicians of the Florida Orchestra (located in Tampa, FL)
ratified a three year contract after having been engaged in play-and-talk since
September. The three-year concessionary agreement averted what would have
become the second work stoppage by a professional orchestra in the state of
Florida…

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