Making South Florida A Better Place

The musicians of Florida Grand Opera are fighting for Union representation, and while many members of the community have voiced their support, others who do not perform for Florida Grand Opera may be wondering, why should I care?

This campaign is much bigger than just Florida Grand Opera. It is an opportunity to shape our community for the better. The way Florida Grand Opera treats its musicians hurts not just those musicians, but the entire community. FGO is the largest employer of musicians in south Florida, and perhaps the largest performing arts organization in Florida. Yet when they see an opportunity to cash in by denying that the musicians are their employees, they take it. They avoid having to pay workers' compensation, unemployment, and social security taxes. Instead, they put those burdens on the employees' backs. And if the largest employer can get away with it, why should any of the other organizations in town be any different?

This happens because we let it.

A Union is not a business, and unionism is not the result of entrepreneurship. A Union is people...members that unite to gain control over their lives and pool their strength to fight unfair treatment and exploitation. We have the power to stop misclassification, to demand that employers take responsibility and treat us fairly. We have only to stand together and ask.

Our community is what we make of it...and we should expect better. Florida Grand Opera can be just the first step on a journey to a secure, professional musical community for all of south Florida. We have only to stand together and ask.

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Jeff,
You are right! The community is what you make of it-the union, the group of people with the biggest self destruction.... Because of you there is no more Florida Philharmonic, unemployed musicians and meritocracy everywhere. Go ahead; take a way from your people one of the best things they used to have, the FGO and soon all of you "fine musicians" will be working for the DMV

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