If you haven’t been keeping up, the Fort Worth Symphony musicians are on strike. Performances are cancelled until the strike is resolved.
If you’re wondering what all the fuss is about, in a nutshell, the musicians took a pay cut of 13 1/2% in 2010 to keep the symphony going during the recession. Now they are being asked to cut their salaries back to 2003 levels. The musicians believe that in the past six years the symphony administration needed to be more aggressive in getting financial support so that it could meet its budget.
Musicians often agree to temporary pay cuts in order to keep the doors open. Asking them to agree to pay cuts on a permanent basis is unfair; performing is a job like any other, with built-in expenses and everyone, even musicians, feels the effects of inflation. It’s time to treat musicians like any other professionals.
Good luck, colleagues. I hope you’re back to work soon.