Tulsa Opera Agrees to Two-Year Agreement
Tulsa Opera agreed to a two-year collective bargaining agreement with Local
94 governing the employment of musicians also employed by the Tulsa Philharmonic
for opera services. This agreement settles unfair labor practice charges
filed by Local 94 as a result of the opera's refusal to negotiate with the
local.
Tulsa Opera had been a signatory empoloyer on the Tulsa Philharmonic collective
bargaining agreement for the past 19 years. Before negotiations begain
for a new agreement last fall, the opera notified the local and the Philharmonic
that it was terminating its joint-employer relationship with the Philharmonic
and would subcontract for musicians' services through the Philharmonic.
Negotiations between Local 94 and the opera failed to resolve the dispute.
Local 94 filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board in mid-October,
1995, alleging that the opera's decision to subcontract was motivated by
anti-union animus and that the opera had retained and exercised sufficient
control that it remained an employer notwithstanding the subcontract.
The NLRB regional director dismissed the charge based on opera's position
that it had negotiated with the Local over it's decision to subcontract.
The NLRB general counsel reversed the regional director's decision on the
control issue and directed the regional director to file a complaint against
the opera.
The settlement came on the morning of trial. The two year agreement includes
a wage freeze at current wage rates, adoption of working conditions contained
in the current Tulsa Philharmonic agreement, and a no strike, no lockout
clause covering opera services. Opera wage rates were higher than the Tulsa
Philharmonic rates which had been reduced during the Philharmonic's Chapter
11 bankruptcy proceedings in 1994.
Local 94 was represented in the NLRB proceedings by attorney Susan Martin,
President Bruce Schultz, Secretary Tammy Kirk, and orchestra members Aldee
Marquis, Leonard Garrison, Bruce Hunter, Lynn Green, and Adam Norris.
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