In Thursday’s (3/14) San Francisco Chronicle, Joshua Kosman writes, “San Francisco Symphony musicians went on strike Wednesday over finances, just a week before a planned tour of the East Coast that is supposed to include a performance at Carnegie Hall. In a morning news conference on the steps of Davies Symphony Hall, violist David Gaudry, chairman of the players’ five-member negotiating committee, said the musicians want to maintain financial parity with musicians at comparable orchestras, particularly in Los Angeles and Chicago. … Symphony Executive Director Brent Assink responded minutes later, in another news conference inside the hall. He emphasized the financial pressures facing the Symphony, along with other American orchestras. … Thursday’s scheduled matinee performance of Mahler’s Ninth Symphony under Music Director Michael Tilson Thomas was canceled because of the strike. Performances on Friday and Saturday nights and Sunday afternoon have not been canceled, nor have plans for the tour, which is scheduled to begin Tuesday. … The musicians voted to authorize a strike on March 6. Both sides met Tuesday with a federal mediator, but the talks fell apart over details of the players’ health plan. Assink said that management was preparing a revised proposal to present to the musicians Thursday afternoon.”
Posted March 14, 2013
