Symphonic Shorts

FPO Ratifies New Contract

After a four-week long strike, musicians agreed to management’s final offer after being threatened with dissolution of the orchestra. Management had previously canceled the 2000-1 season, but musicians returned to work on October 24 and the first concert of the season was on October 25.

The often-heated negotiations generated almost daily front-page press and this was the first strike in the history of the Florida Philharmonic.

Details of the agreement:

  • 5-year agreement through 2005.

  • Pay raises of 7%/5%/5%/5%/5% (base salary in final year of contract: $47,300).

  • Changes to the nonrenewal language; maximum hours per week; relief services; local radio broadcasts; archive tape use for fundraising and publicity, and scheduling.

  • Establishes communication between musicians, management, and the Governing Council on an ongoing regular basis.


FPO Musicians Donate Instruments

sympho2.gifFlorida Philharmonic members have been working hard to enhance the cultural life of students in Palm Beach and Broward counties by presenting side-by-side concerts and donating instruments to school music programs.

On October 12, musicians presented three cellos to UB Kinsey-Palm View Elementary School in West Palm Beach, where previously students outnumbered available instruments by as much as 4-to-1. The musicians donated thirteen xylophones to Oakland Park Elementary on October 20. These donations were made possible by fundraising concerts presented by musicians playing alongside students in the Young Artists Chamber Orchestra, where they raised over $1600. Musicians were also on hand to demonstrate the instruments that were donated.


News & Announcements

Marjorie Hahn has been named Executive/Musical Director of the South Florida Youth Symphony...Tom Hadley has been named Personnel Manager of the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra and Gerry Miller has been named Assistant Personnel Manager...Palm Beach Pops has appointed Felix Santiago as Executive Director...Philharmonic Executive Director Elizabeth Hare has resigned...

Thanks!

Thanks to Kurt Hagen and Joe Ferrer for their support of Philharmonic musicians during the strike. They had no obligation to hire Philharmonic musicians for the Florida Grand Opera production of Otello, and yet they did the right thing, and in the end even relinquished the contract so that the Florida Philharmonic musicians would play for the opera. The Local commends you!

Thanks to the Florida Philharmonic Musicians Association for their generous donation for the repair of the front office window!

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