[From www.sfcv.org]

SF Opera Contract(s) Jeopardized
After the last strike by San Francisco Symphony musicians (a long,
acrimonious and near-disastrous event), good contracts and good feelings
have prevailed along Grove Street, both SFS and the San Francisco Opera
reaching agreement ahead of the deadline, creating lengthy and mutually
satisfactory contracts that were exceptional, perhaps even unique
nationally. But now, there is trouble, big trouble.

SFCV has learned that although the Opera Orchestra contract is still in
force through August, management has notified the musicians' negotiating
committe on Friday that it wishes to terminate the agreement. No further
information is available - other than the knowledge of the Opera's $7.7
million deficit for the previous season and a yet unknown amount of red
ink for the season now ending - and the musicians' union is completely
at a loss trying to understand the reported management move.

If the report is true, the termination notice is coming before a single
formal negotiating session has taken place about the next contract, and
seven months before the end of the life of the current agreement. If
there is one city in the US where such a budget-cutting approach won't
fly, it's San Francisco.

Janos Gereben/SF (In Hawaii, to 1/27)
www.sfcv.org
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