Musicians of the Oregon Symphony Reject Final Contract Proposal
From Symphony Management and Authorize a Strike
from the Oregon Symphony Players Association, August 29:
The musicians of the Oregon Symphony, known as the Oregon Symphony Players
and members of the American Federation of Musicians, Local 99, voted yesterday
morning to allow their negotiating team the authority to call a strike.
Previously, on August 26, the musicians voted to reject the Oregon Symphony
Association's final contract proposal.
According to Fred Sautter, principal trumpet for the orchestra and also
the musicians' spokesperson, "The lengthy negotiations we have had
with management to establish a satisfactory contract for the next three
years have proven unsuccessful. This disturbs all of us, of course. We're
musicians and working together and performing is important to us."
The Oregon Symphony Players Association (OSPA) began their preparation for
the current round of negotiations in September of 1995. In May, the OSPA
began their contract discussions with the Oregon Symphony Association management's
negotiating team. The final contract proposal offered to the musicians by
management, according to Sautter, "cuts the pension contribution from
8 /12% to 6%, makes major concessions in our health plan, and provides for
no increase in the rate of pay for a major scheduling change."
With a strike authorization vote, the OSAP negotiating team is empowered
by the musicians to call a strike at a time of their choosing. Sautter explained,
"Having the musicians support the negotiating team with this vote means
that a strike could be called prior to the next rehearsal or in a month.
Of course we want to play. It's how we make a living and it is our life,
but when extra work is requested, it's important that there be commensurate
compensation. This final contract proposal says to the musicians of the
Oregon Symphony that their efforts and work are not really acknowledged
by the Oregon Symphony Association. This we really the musicians' overwhelming
sense in their response to the final contract proposal and it was that that
led to the unanimous vote for a strike authorization."
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