Oct152012
Seattle Symphony Musicians Approve "Strike Authorization"
The Seattle Symphony and Opera Players’ Organization (SSOPO) today announced that it voted and approved a “strike authorization” after months of contract negotiations with the Symphony and Opera managements. The musicians’ group will meet again tomorrow to consider further action.
The SSOPO and both Symphony and Opera managements have been in contract discussions since summer in hopes of gaining a sound collective bargaining agreement that reverses concessionary trends. The most recent offer, presented by the managements on October 10th, called for a 15 percent reduction in overall compensation for the 2012-2013 season.
“The Seattle Symphony is one of the highest earned income-producing orchestras in the country and is forecasted to again have a balanced budget in the 2012-13 season,” said cellist David Sabee. “We are proud of the contribution our past concessions have made toward balancing the budget, and see no reason that continued pay cuts should be necessary.”
This proposed pay reduction is on top of years of financial concessions made by the musicians. Since 2005, the SSOPO musicians have given back more than $9.6 million to the Symphony, not including savings earned through significant increases in the musicians’ share of healthcare costs.
“The musicians have always been invested in the success of the Symphony and Opera, lending a hand in times of financial difficulty,” added Sabee. “We are entering a new era at the Seattle Symphony and need to develop a compensation package reflective of this new period in order to uphold the artistic integrity of the Symphony and attract and retain the highest quality musicians.”
Seattle Symphony Bass Answers One Call for AllDecember 17th 2012
Seattle Symphony Piccolo and King's High School Christmas ConcertDecember 12th 2012
From Fame to the Seattle SymphonyDecember 11th 2012
Season's Greetings & Best Wishes for a Musical New Year!December 2nd 2012
Coaching Orchestral Students on the EastsideOctober 29th 2012
Seattle Symphony Musicans Untuxed on KING FMOctober 26th 2012
Creating Symphonic Fusion With the Seattle Collaborative OrchestraOctober 26th 2012
Dear Seattle Symphony Family,October 22nd 2012
Violist Wesley Dyring Talks About Giving Back to the CommunityOctober 20th 2012
Violinist Stephen Bryant on the Pleasure of Sharing the Joy of MusicOctober 19th 2012
Symphony Trombonist Gives a Voice to Those Unable to Read PrintOctober 17th 2012
Seattle Symphony Musicians Approve "Strike Authorization"October 15th 2012
What Does the Seattle Symphony Mean to Me? October 15th 2012
Welcome Back to the SSOPO Web SiteOctober 6th 2012