Last month our officers assisted a member who feels she was unfairly dismissed from Palm Beach Opera. The contract dictates how dismissals are to be handled, and we believe that the process was not handled fairly. Ultimately it may be up to an appeals committee composed of Palm Beach Opera musicians to determine whether to uphold or overturn the dismissal. One good thing about the contract is that it guarantees a “day in court” to dispute actions taken by management; without a contract, you are at the mercy of management.
Musicians of the Southwest Florida Symphony in Fort Myers, which includes many of our members, received a surprise notice that management intends to cease operations after more than 60 years. An orchestra is not something that you can easily replace, as we in south Florida know all too well, and the musicians dispute the need to close the doors. Our board has sent a letter in support of the musicians, and we encourage others to do the same.
A local musician who has not been paid by the Miami Symphony has reached out to our officers for assistance. If you are not aware, both Miami-Dade and Broward counties have wage ordinances that consider wages unpaid for more than 21 days as wage theft. You can file claims with the county governments, which will assist employees in collecting wages from delinquent employers. Please contact our office if you would like more information or links to claims applications.