The Musicians of the Chicago Symphony Are On Strike

alexwill

https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/reich/ct-ent-cso-musicians-union-0311-story.html

Speed · Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2019 9:47 am Post subject:

I have a question.

My son works on Broadway, and he tells me that in New York when one of the performers' unions strikes, they all strike.

Is it like that in Chicago?

Take care,
Marc Speed

gstump · Heavyweight Member Joined: 14 Nov 2006 Posts: 934

Hey Marc,

Yes and no. Most every craft union cba in NYC has a no strike clause.

That means if there is a problem under the terms of the agreement, the grievance and arbitration clause must be followed and the employees cannot legally strike. This includes sympathy strikes i.e. striking in solidarity with a locked out or striking brother/sister union.

But there are special circumstances. For example, if the stage hands in Chicago were out on strike and the employer hired a bunch of scabs, individual musicians could refuse to cross the picket line and work out of a fear for their safety.

In Detroit, we basically shut down Orchestra Hall with pickets. A skeleton crew of IATSE (stagehands) were inside but IATSE brothers and sisters hired for non-DSO show would not cross our lines. Also, all performers and major acts booked refused to show up.

So basically, a strike is a serious disrupter not unlike a war.
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Speed · Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2019 2:35 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the info.

I live in a small town (37,000) which has a symphony whose members are drawn from nearby larger cities and universities. I suspect there are few, if any, members who would last long at an audition for CSO, but we are most appreciative of their performances. There is constant fundraising, and attendance is down, but local businesses seem to be picking up the slack.

I hope that the business and professional community in Chicago will step up to the plate and fund what appears to be a truly great symphony; however, if the musicians are hoping that the business community will increase its contributions, they should recognize that defined benefit plans hardly exist in the private sector any more. They are terribly expensive to fund, as well as to administer, in that they require the services of more highly paid professionals than other types of retirement plans. My concern is that the demand for maintaining the defined benefit plan may fall on ears that may not be deaf, but they are not likely to be sympathetic.

Take care,
Marc Speed

alexwill · Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2019 9:19 am Post subject:

MUTI ON THE PICKET LINE..
The article may or may not be blocked for you, but the image is the important thing! If you can't see the image, Muti is on the picket line.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/reich/ct-ent-chicago-symphony-cso-strike-muti-press-conference-0313-story.html

trumpetera · Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2019 12:29 pm Post subject:

I hope they get their way. Classical music is extremely cheap considdering what you get for the money.
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alexwill

http://www.chicagosymphonymusicians.com/uploads/5/3/3/5/53356921/negotiations__pension_reality__pdf.pdf