California’s Santa Barbara Symphony has announced a new three-year collective-bargaining agreement between management and musicians, running through the 2015-16 season. The contract includes modest wage and travel increases, clarifications regarding auditioning and hiring procedures, and adjustments in calculating “overscale and doubling fees.” Also in the contract are changes in electronic media agreements that allow “more flexibility, while staying with the union’s national policies.” SBSO Executive Director David Grossman said in a press release, “During negotiations, both sides supported a measured approach, recognizing the need to balance financial realities with the symphony’s goal of continued growth in artistic excellence … and the shared goal of elevating the Santa Barbara Symphony’s impact to our patrons, sponsors, and the community at large.” Donald Foster, chair of the musicians committee, said, “From the start, a spirit of togetherness ensued, with both sides putting artistic quality, professional integrity and basic fiscal responsibility at the forefront.”
Posted January 3, 2014
