Last month musicians who perform for both Palm Beach Symphony and Florida Grand Opera fought back after contractor Alfredo Oliva threatened to punish them for performing for the Opera. The musicians contacted Local officers, who promptly gave them advice and let them know their rights. Taking this advice, the musicians made the Palm Beach Symphony management aware of the situation, and musicians won a temporary reprieve. Contractors should not be in a position to dictate what outside work a musician can or cannot take, and musicians should not be scared to make a living. Only by banding together and demanding dignity, fairness, and respect will we be able to put these power-hungry dictators in their place and allow musicians to make decisions about their livelihood on their own.
