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The 1996 Strike: ASOPA Position Statment Orchestra complement: ASOPA is adamant that the size of the ASO must not slip below 95 musicians, or the orchestra will slip from the ranks of major orchestras. Management's proposal links retaining the 95 player minimum with possible salary cuts in future years. Salary: ASOPA proposes increases of 3%, 3%, 4%, 4% over the next four years. Management is proposing no increase in the first year, and 2% for each of the following two years. Such a proposal would probably result in our dropping from 17th to 18th or lower in salary among major orchestras. Tenure: The standard probationary period in American symphony orchestras is two years. Management is willing to maintain the two year probationary period only in connection with their unacceptable salary proposal. A probationary period of more than two years would make it impossible to attract musicians from other orchestras. In recent years, 80% of new ASO musicians have come from other orchestras. Pension: ASOPA is proposing a restructuring of the pension that would increase benefits significantly at little additional cost to management. What increases in costs there would be exist solely because of past underfunding of the current symphony pension. {Agreement in principle has been reached on this issue.] Seniority Pay: Currently a musician with 20 years of experience receives less than 2% of base pay in seniority pay. ASOPA would like to increase that amount to 6%. Per Diem: ASOPA is asking for a cost of living increase in travel expenses and a token payment for incidentals. These costs are included in concert fees. Management has denied this request. Vacation: ASOPA is proposing a move to 9 weeks of vacation. Because of scheduling issues unique to an orchestra, the symphony musicians current vacation of eight weeks amounts to fewer days off annually than that of a 9 to 5 worker with three weeks of vacation. Thirteen major orchestras currently have more vacation time than the ASO. Leaves: ASOPA is asking for three personal leave days per year. Management has denied this request. Personal leaves rarely result in increased cost to the management. Artistic Assessment: The musicians, as the people who work most closely with the music director, have asked for an increased role in Music Director review. Audition and Tenure decisions: ASOPA has proposed procedures intended to introduce meaningful musician input on audition and tenure decisions. These proposals, which cost nothing, are under consideration by management. Scheduling: ASOPA has dropped most of its original scheduling requests. Those that remain address the serious problem of performance fatigue. Working conditions: ASOPA has proposed several working condition clauses that would increase morale within the orchestra, create a more interesting visual appearance to the audience, improve the performance of the orchestra, and attract high quality musicians to the orchestra, while at the same time incurring no additional cost to the management. Management has refused to consider any of these proposals. |
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Email
the ASOPA at:
ASOPA@atlantabrass.com |
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