[From the 9/5/04 www.sfcv.org]

   The local chapter of AGMA (American Guild of Musical Artists)
   filed an unfair labor practices suit on Monday against the
   San Francisco Symphony for failure to negotiate in good faith
   a new contract for the the award-winning, much-acclaimed
   Symphony Chorus.  The complaint, filed with Region 20 of the
   National Labor Relations Board, alleges that SFS "within the
   preceding six months of the filing of the charge has failed
   to bargain in good faith during collective bargaining
   negotiations."

   In the escalating conflict, the orchestra players' committee
   assured the singers of its support.  "If we walk, the orchestra
   will walk with us, once sanctioned by the Labor Council,"
   Nora Heiber, San Francisco area representative for AGMA, told
   Classical Voice.  The orchestra is represented by Local 6
   of the Musicians Union.  The Symphony administration had
   no comment, but a spokesman said "the parties agreed that
   negotiations for a new contract would begin on Sept. 10; six
   sessions have been completed so far.  Negotiations continue
   October 4, 5 and 6."

   AGMA sources said efforts to smooth negotiations go back three
   years, when the last contract talks turned acrimonious.  With
   the help of a federal mediator, an agreement was reached to
   arrange a conflict-resolution retreat (which was highly
   successful between SFS and the orchestra), but management
   eventually refused to participate.  Now that talks are underway,
   negotiators for the singers feel "the situation looks bad,
   the administration doesn't seem interested in reaching an
   agreement." Although the Chorus can number over 150, only 30
   singers are paid and covered by the AGMA contract; the rest
   are unpaid, uncompensated volunteers.  (In contrast, another
   orchestra of comparable size, the Chicago Symphony, has a
   chorus with more than 100 paid members.)

   Besides the low number of professional choristers SFS allows,
   AGMA's main grievance is the amount of salary.  It is $27.09
   per hour for rehearsals, and $168.16 per performance, totaling
   under $10,000 per year.  According to Heiber, "the lowest-paid
   members of the orchestra" receive a minimum of $2,000 per
   week.  Additionally, a reduced number of concerts featuring
   the Chorus and fewer rehearsals mean a 30% drop in salary for
   the singers since 2001.  The administration's latest offer,
   says AGMA, was freezing the salary for the next season,
   increasing it by 2% for the next two years.

   Other grievances include the administration's alleged "rejection
   of requests for reasonable guaranteed income; refusal to
   consider any health or other employee benefits; denial of job
   security; and demands for financial givebacks," even in face
   of the Symphony's continued financial success.

Janos Gereben
www.sfcv.org
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