Double Times
Orlando Phil Gets Organized
Musicians of the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra (OPO) are seeking to be represented by the Central Florida Musicians Association.
After several years of talk, the interest in union representation really took off earlier this year, and the National Labor Relations Board will be holding an election this August to verify that a majority of the musicians would like to be represented by the union. Some of the issues the musicians cited as reason for seeking representation include a desire for better pay and benefits such as health insurance and pension, and for better communication. With the current structure of the OPO, musicians feel like there is no one person to go to or documented procedure to deal with problems that come up on the job.
The OPO was formed 14 years ago, and its 80 musicians currently perform about 170 services annually. The Southwest Florida Symphony (Ft. Myers) also recently organized for union representation and just concluded negotiations for their first collective bargaining agreement. The Florida West Coast Symphony (Sarasota) won union representation in 2002.
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