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April 25, 2008
PRESS RELEASE
CENTRAL OHIO FEDERATION
OF MUSICIANS LOCAL 103 A.F. OF M.
1585 BETHEL RD., SUITE
100-COLUMBUS, OHIO 43220-2010 PHONE: (614) 457-6371
FAX: 457-6372

Douglas J. Fisher
President
Vaughn F. Wiester
Secretary-Treasurer
Michael Buccicone
Vice-President
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 25, 2008
Columbus Symphony Musicians Unanimously Vote to Reject
Boards Final Offer
Last night, the members of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra
unanimously voted by secret ballot to reject the CSO Boards
final offer for a new contract which would take
effect next season. The offer called for a 40% annual salary
cut from all 53 Full-Time Musicians with no restoration
in additional years. The current minimum annual salary is
$55,200. Under the Boards proposal it would be slashed
to $33,000. The Boards offer would also require Musicians
to pay 30% of their monthly health insurance premiums, up
to $480 per month for Musicians with family coverage. In
addition, the wages per rehearsal and concert for part time
Musicians would be reduced from $150 to $100. The value
of these cuts from the Musicians pockets would be
approximately $1.4 million for next season.
Previously the Board rejected the Musicians proposal
to accept a 6.5% annual salary cut, to reduce monthly health
insurance payments in return, but to share in future premium
increases, and to leave vacant any non-principal chair during
long term leaves of absence throughout the contract. Depending
on the final number of vacancies, this would result in savings
next season of approximately $500,000. Three years ago,
the Musicians agreed to an 11% annual salary cut which resulted
in total savings over the past two and a half years of $1.3
million.
Early in the negotiation process, the Musicians proposed
that a third party consultant who specializes in orchestra
management be selected by mutual agreement and brought in
to evaluate the situation and to make recommendations to
both the Board and the Musicians. The Board immediately
rejected that proposal insisting that no assistance was
needed to resolve matters. They later offered to accept
the assistance of a consultant, but only in the future after
a new contract is reached.
The Board has told the Musicians that there may not be
enough money to continue operations beyond the end of this
month without agreement on a new contract for next season.
Because the Boards proposal was presented as a final
offer, they will not consider any further proposals
from the Musicians.
Douglas Fisher, President of the Central Ohio Federation
of Musicians, Local 103 AFM, the union which represents
the CSO Musicians stated, We are disappointed that
the Board has rejected immediate assistance from an orchestra
management consultant to advise both them and the Musicians.
The longer this crisis continues the more Musicians we will
lose. So far we have lost four high-profile Musicians to
other full time jobs next season and that number will likely
increase. It has taken decades for this small group of Musicians
to develop into the high quality ensemble that it is today.
Because there are only 53 full time Musicians, losing even
a small number of them has a profound effect on the orchestras
quality.
Jim Akins, Chair of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra Committee
and Principal Tuba said, Key economic data even in
todays economy proves that central Ohio has the means
to support this orchestra at an even higher level and that
our region is as strong economically as the four major cities
which surround it. Yet the orchestras annual budget
is two to three times smaller than the orchestras in those
cities. Central Ohio deserves an orchestra of high quality
and I hope that those who care will step up and refuse to
let it die.
For further information please contact Douglas Fisher at
614-783-3684 or Jim Akins at 614-361-1481. Also, please
visit www.symphonymusicians.com, the official website of
the CSO Musicians for detailed financial information on
the CSO and how it compares to surrounding cities.
####
How does the CSO compare
to the four major cities which surround it?
- The economy of the Columbus region is stronger than, or
on par with, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, and Pittsburgh.
- The annual budgets of the orchestras from those other
cities range from $27 to $42 million. The Columbus budget
is $12 million.
- The minimum salaries in those other cities range from
$75 to $110 thousand each year. Columbus musicians earn
$55 thousand.
- The number of full-time musicians in those other cities
range from 87 to 100. Columbus has 53
- The endowments of those other cities are all over $100
million. Columbus has only $14 million left, which is held
in trust by the Columbus Foundation, after spending all
of its unrestricted endowment to pay for the deficits from
the past several years.
- Of the top 50 orchestras in the USA, Columbus ranks 26th
in annual salary and 48th in number of full-time musicians
Sources:
+ U.S. Census Data, www.factfinder.census.gov
* American Federation of Musicians, www.afm.org
City Comparison by County

*All figures obtained from the 2006 U.S. Census found at
www.factfinder.census.gov.
+Cost of living comparison value found at Sperlings
Bestplaces www.bestplaces.net/col/
**All figures obtained from American Federation of Musicians
Wage Scales and Conditions in the Symphony Orchestra
for ICSOM Orchestras, 2006-2007 Season.
A Ten Year Look at Columbus Symphony
Finances
Total Income and Expense figures are from Audit reports
provided by the CSO.
Total Musician Expense figures from expense statements provided
by the CSO.
Over the past ten years:
Total Expense has increased an average of 5.5% each year.
Total Non-Musician Expense has increased an average of 7%
each year.
Total Musician Expense has increased an average of 4% each
year.
Total Income has increased an average of 2.7% each year.
1997-1998 Season
Total Income $8,239,030
Total Expense 8,080,911
Total Musician Expense 3,758,019
Percentage of Total Expense for Musician Expense 47%
Total Surplus for the Season 158,119
1998-1999 Season
Total Income $9,115,917
Total Expense 8,458,399
Total Musician Expense 3,771,371
Percentage of Total Expense for Musician Expense 45%
Total Surplus for the Season 657,518
1999-2000 Season
Total Income $9,217,966
Total Expense 8,733,148
Total Musician Expense 4,099,746
Percentage of Total Expense for Musician Expense 47%
Total Surplus for the Season 484,818
2000-2001 Season
Total Income $10,655,757
Total Expense 10,556,647Total Musician Expense 4,573,748
Percentage of Total Expense for Musician Expense 43%
Total Surplus for the Season 99,110
2001-2002 Season
Total Income $10,402,520
Total Expense 10,379,212
Total Musician Expense 4,628,891
Percentage of Total Expense for Musician Expense 45%
Total Surplus for the Season 23,308
2002-2003 Season
Total Income $9,769,816
Total Expense 11,072,526
Total Musician Expense 4,965,135
Percentage of Total Expense for Musician Expense 45%
Total Loss for the Season ($1,302,710)
2003-2004 Season (*14 months of data, see note below)
Total Income $13,879,645
Total Expense 14,783,795
Total Musician Expense 5,929,207
Percentage of Total Expense for Musician Expense 40%
Total Loss for the Season ($904,150)
2004-2005 Season
Total Income $12,225,263
Total Expense 12,525,073
Total Musician Expense 4,945,016
Percentage of Total Expense for Artistic Staff Expense 39%
Total Loss for the Season ($299,810)
2005-2006 Season
Total Income $11,816,696
Total Expense 12,639,062
Total Musician Expense 5,028,589
Percentage of Total Expense for Artistic Staff Expense 39%
Total Loss for the Season ($822,366)
2006-2007 Season
Total Income $10,436,301
Total Expense 12,610,768
Total Musician Expense 5,271,660
Percentage of Total Expense for Artistic Staff Expense 42%
Total Loss for the Season ($2,174,467)
*Note: From 1997-98 to 2002-03, the fiscal year
began on July 1st and ended on June 30th. In 2003-04, the
end date was extended to August 31st and the figures for
this year contain 14 months of data. For all seasons thereafter,
the fiscal year began on September 1st and ended on August
31st.
Accumulated Deficit since June 30, 2002 = $5,503,503
Average Annual Loss since June 30, 2002 = $1,100,700
March 15, 2008
The Columbus Dispatch - Balance A Top Goal In Symphony
Stories?
Today a commentary appeared in the Columbus Dispatch with
the truly laughable title, "Balance a top goal in Symphony
stories" by Editor Mary Lynn Plageman. Since the Columbus
Dispatch, in collusion with the management and board of
the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, broke the first story on
the board and management's plan to fire 22 of us and exact
a 30% cut in salary and benefits from the rest, all of their
reporting has been completely one-sided.
Official spokespersons for the musicians have spent hours
speaking with Dispatch reporters on the record, but despite
that fact, few quotes have been printed while numerous and
lengthy quotes by the board and management have appeared.
Since they broke the story last January, the musicians have
issued two press releases. Both were completely ignored
by the Dispatch.
In response to their grand editorial trumpeting the paper's
support of the board and management's plan, we requested
an op-ed piece of equal length and submitted two rebuttals
from the Chairman and General Counsel of the International
Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians. The Dispatch
rejected our request and refused to print either rebuttal.
Finally in a last-ditch effort to convey our side of the
story, we requested and were granted a meeting with the
Dispatch Editorial Board. In that meeting the editors politely
listened and asked intelligent questions which led us to
believe that they finally understood the true problems facing
the CSO from our perspective. But yesterday's front page
story confirmed that nothing has changed and the Dispatch
continues to report only one side of the story.
Though there is much in yesterday's story to rebut, the
most shocking omission is the fact that early this week
we finally received from the management and board, after
weeks of classic union-busting tactics, a formal request
to meet with them to discuss the situation in accordance
with our contract. The day before the Dispatch story appeared,
we accepted their request and offered to meet with them
as early as this Monday. None of this was reported by the
Dispatch and instead, a quote from Executive Director Tony
Beadle, falsely claiming that we have refused for weeks
to meet with them, was printed.
The Columbus Dispatch has no interest in balanced reporting
and today's commentary is an admission of this truth. Why
else would they print this defensive piece the day after
their latest attack on the musicians?
February 26, 2008
Columbus Symphony Musicians Vote To Allow Live Recording
Next weeks Columbus Symphony Orchestra program will
be recorded live for the international recording company
Denon, which will release it on compact disc. At the personal
request of Music Director Junichi Hirokami, the Musicians
voted to allow this recording under a new national recording
agreement which allows live recordings to be produced for
a tenth of what a normal studio recording of the same program
would cost.
Although the Musicians will be paid far less than
usual for this recording, we want to memorialize the artistic
summit achieved by the CSO, which has taken decades to reach,
before it may be destroyed next season by controlling members
of the CSO Board and Executive Director Tony Beadle, who
are publicly advocating the firing of 22 Musicians at the
end of this summer, said Douglas Fisher, a member
of the orchestra and President of the Central Ohio Federation
of Musicians, the Musicians Union.
Most of the recording expenses will be personally underwritten
by former CSO Board Chair Gene DAngelo. We are
most grateful to Gene for his long standing support of the
CSO, said Jim Akins, Chair of the Columbus Symphony
Orchestra Committee, which represents the Musicians. Gene
personifies the high degree of passion and commitment for
the orchestra that the present leadership lacks, and which
is so desperately needed.
The CSO will record Symphony No. 5 and the Romeo and Juliet
Fantasy Overture by Peter Tchaikovsky for the Denon release.
George Gershwins Rhapsody in Blue will also be recorded
for possible release in the future.
For further information please contact Douglas Fisher at
614-783-3684 or Jim Akins at 614-361-1481. Also, please
visit www.symphonymusicians.com,
the official website of the CSO Musicians.
January 29, 2008
HUNDREDS FROM AROUND THE WORLD RALLY TO SUPPORT THE COLUMBUS
SYMPHONY MUSICIANS AND CONDEMN THE BOARD'S FUTURE PLANS
Since the announcement by the Board of the Columbus Symphony
Orchestra less than two weeks ago of their intention to
fire 22 Musicians at the end of this August and impose an
almost 30% salary and benefit cut from the remaining 31
Musicians by cutting 12 weeks from next season, interest
and support has poured in from all over the country and
as far away as London and Berlin condemning the Board's
plan.
The plan was developed in secret over many weeks and the
Musicians and Music Director were deliberately excluded
from the planning process. "No orchestra has ever solved
its problems on the backs of Musicians", said Douglas
Fisher, a member of the orchestra and President of AFM Local
103, the union which represents the Musicians. "The
cuts sought by the Board would be devastating to the Musicians
and their families and we will not accept them because they
will destroy the high artistic quality which has taken decades
to build. The deliberate exclusion of the Musicians, the
one group of constituents who possess the greatest institutional
memory and experience, is evidence of the Board's incompetence
and negligence."
Only two and a half years ago, the Musicians agreed to
accept salary and benefit cuts worth $1.3 million in return
for the Board's assurance that this donation would enable
them to leverage additional support and thus stabilize and
advance the orchestra in the future. "The Board failed
to keep this promise", said James Akins, Principal
Tuba and Chair of the Orchestra Committee, which is elected
by the Musicians to represent their interests. "Instead
of raising money and hiring the right people to run the
orchestra, they continued to burn what little endowment
was left and hired unqualified and inexperienced people
to fill critical Management vacancies. This is not a financial
problem, this is a governance problem".
For more detailed and
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