RESPONSE TO THE ASSOCIATION'S UPDATE ON NEGOTIATIONS AND FAQ
The Musicians of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra were dismayed when we read the update and FAQ regarding the ongoing contract negotiations from the President and CEO of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Association (FWSOA). We would like to correct some errors and misconceptions in the summary.
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Association Claim No. 1:
“Corporate giving is significantly down due to mergers, acquisitions, and changing giving priorities…The downturn in oil and gas has negatively impacted the level of philanthropic gifts.”
Musicians of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Facts:
● Other Texas cities, faced with the same state-wide economic challenges, have orchestras that are growing and thriving. In the last year alone, the Houston Symphony budget increased 12%, and the Dallas Symphony raised $32 million.
● The Houston Grand Opera raised $16.8 million last year, $600,000 more than the previous year, despite the downturn in oil & gas.
● The economy of the DFW area has increased 35% in the last decade, but the FWSO budget has shrunk from $13.1 million in 2009 to $11.9 million in 2015.
● According to the Texas State Comptroller, oil and gas is only 14% of the Texas economy because of diversification efforts.
● Fort Worth has been one of the fastest growing cities in the country since 2010.
...
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Association Claim No. 2:
“The FWSOA actively pursues new sources of revenue. The development and marketing programs are working.”
“…Management maintains that the solution must be two-fold: new revenue generation and cost-cutting measures.”
Musicians of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Facts:
● The nation’s top arts management firm advised the FWSOA to increase the fundraising (development) department to at least 5 positions. This department has had 2 to 4 members over the last 18 months.
● The FWSOA is searching for its 4th development director in 5 years, not counting the two additional development directors who left for personal reasons.
● Comparable orchestras have larger development departments: Kansas City Symphony – 7 members; Utah Symphony - 9; Nashville Symphony - 12.
● Orchestras of similar size spend an average of 8% of total budget on fundraising. The FWSO Management spends less than 4%.
● Management has consistently spent only 4% of its budget on fundraising since 2008.
● Management's actions show a one-fold solution: cutting musicians' salaries.
...
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Association Claim No. 3:
“…current minimum salary of an FWSO musician is $54,953, and the average salary of an FWSO musician is $60,564, not including overtime and other compensation such as seniority pay.”
Musicians of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Facts:
● With the proposed cuts, the FWSO would rank 32nd in salary amongst the country’s top 50 orchestras. The FWSO musicians' salary would equate to the salary in 2003.
● Under the management’s proposal, FWSO musicians would earn $42,000 less than a Dallas Symphony musician, and $20,000 below the national average of 50 of the country’s top orchestras.
● Seniority and overtime are negligible, totaling about $500 per year for only the most senior members of the orchestra.
...
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Association Claim No. 4:
“… 46% of the Orchestra's $12 million budget goes directly to musician salaries and benefits. This percentage is higher than that for the top 50 orchestras (U.S) which average 33.5%”
Musicians of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Facts:
● This percentage has been increasing over the last few years simply because management has been shrinking its budget.
● The orchestras who spend around 33.5% of their budgets on musicians’ salaries include the Boston Symphony, with an $86 million budget, and the L.A. Philharmonic, with a $121 million budget.
● The average budget of the top 50 orchestras in the US is $36.4 million; the budget of the FWSO is $11.9 million.
...
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Association Claim No. 5:
“Currently, musicians are paid for 46 weeks annually, which includes 42 days of paid leave and vacation, as well as many other benefits…”
Musicians of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Facts:
● Management’s proposal is to have FWSO musicians play over 200 concerts in 42 weeks. Compare this to the 156 concerts the Dallas Symphony performed in 52 weeks (this season). Not only does the DSO get paid all year long at a higher rate than the FWSO, but it performs 20% FEWER concerts.
● Musicians need physical recovery days, so vacation weeks are necessary. The industry standard is an average of 6 vacation weeks, plus personal leave days. Management’s proposal is to cut the FWSO to 3 vacation weeks.
● Orchestras such as Dallas and Houston have 9 vacation weeks.
...
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Association Claim No. 6:
“…given the rising cost of healthcare, we are seeking to move from paying 93% of insurance premium downward to 85% – still very competitive among comparable orchestras”
Musicians of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Facts:
● The combination of reduced individual coverage and ZERO family coverage puts the FWSO at the BOTTOM of plans offered by the country’s top 50 orchestras.
● This past season, it cost $1746 per month to insure a family on the FWSOA health plan.
● Fort Worth is the only orchestra that plays more than 20 weeks a year and has NO disability benefits.
...
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Association Claim No. 7:
“Local government giving is a fraction of its previous levels. Revenue generated by the orchestra's endowment has been down for several years.”
Musicians of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Facts:
● Local government giving represents less than 1% of the FWSOA budget.
● The most recent FWSO endowment campaign was launched in 2000.
● In less than a year, the Buffalo Philharmonic has raised $23 million for its endowment. Detroit and Grand Rapids each recently raised $40 million for their endowments.
...
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Association Claim No. 8:
“…the management has been combating deficits caused by external factors beyond the organization’s control…”
Musicians of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Facts:
● The economic downturn and the loss of paid performances before 2010 were legitimately beyond management’s control, leading to the musicians' pay cut. With a resurging economy and the return of paid performances, management is still unable to balance the budget.
● Charitable giving nationally rose to a record level $373 billion last year.
● Great leadership means facing external circumstances and thriving. The following orchestras have successfully negotiated progressive contracts: Baltimore Symphony, Kansas City Symphony, Grand Rapids Symphony, Oregon Symphony, Nashville Symphony, Dallas Symphony, Florida Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony, Chicago Symphony, Chicago Lyric Opera, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and San Antonio Symphony.
...
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Association Claim No. 9:
“…we must turn to our musicians for a portion of our solution by seeking a reduction in musician compensation and benefits.”
Musicians of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Facts:
● Management said the same thing in 2010, when the musicians took a 13.5% pay cut.
● Management also said that the other portion of solving their financial problems was increased fundraising and increasing the number of donors. They did neither.
● Now the management is asking for an additional pay cut.
● This past season, it cost $1746 per month to insure a family on the FWSOA health plan.
...
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Association Claim No. 10:
“…everyone agrees the orchestra must grow in the long term…”
Musicians of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Facts:
● In the negotiations, the musicians have asked repeatedly for plans for growth, and management will not share any fundraising plans.
● There is no Strategic Plan past the year 2017.
● The Strategic Planning Committee has not met in more than one year (6/3/15).
...
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Association Claim No. 11:
“…assuring that Fort Worth remains home to a viable professional orchestra of the highest caliber…”
Musicians of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Facts:
● As wages decrease, fewer high-caliber musicians will choose to audition for the orchestra.
● Already, since 2010 musicians have been leaving the orchestra at twice the rate of the previous decade.
● Management’s salary proposal would put FWSO musicians $20,000 BELOW the national average.
● With the proposed cuts, the FWSO would rank 32nd in salary amongst the country’s top 50 orchestras.
...
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Association Claim No. 12:
“We continue to negotiate in good faith and hope that reason will prevail and an agreement can be reached…”
Musicians of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Facts:
● Since October 2015, management has not compromised on its proposed 8.7% pay cut at all.
● Management’s latest proposal actually INCREASES their pay cut demands to at least 10.1%, because they want musicians to pay for more of the health care costs.
● The musicians have compromised on our economic proposal four times.
● The musicians have been negotiating in good faith for more than 12 months.
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Association Claim No. 1:
“Corporate giving is significantly down due to mergers, acquisitions, and changing giving priorities…The downturn in oil and gas has negatively impacted the level of philanthropic gifts.”
Musicians of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Facts:
● Other Texas cities, faced with the same state-wide economic challenges, have orchestras that are growing and thriving. In the last year alone, the Houston Symphony budget increased 12%, and the Dallas Symphony raised $32 million.
● The Houston Grand Opera raised $16.8 million last year, $600,000 more than the previous year, despite the downturn in oil & gas.
● The economy of the DFW area has increased 35% in the last decade, but the FWSO budget has shrunk from $13.1 million in 2009 to $11.9 million in 2015.
● According to the Texas State Comptroller, oil and gas is only 14% of the Texas economy because of diversification efforts.
● Fort Worth has been one of the fastest growing cities in the country since 2010.
...
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Association Claim No. 2:
“The FWSOA actively pursues new sources of revenue. The development and marketing programs are working.”
“…Management maintains that the solution must be two-fold: new revenue generation and cost-cutting measures.”
Musicians of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Facts:
● The nation’s top arts management firm advised the FWSOA to increase the fundraising (development) department to at least 5 positions. This department has had 2 to 4 members over the last 18 months.
● The FWSOA is searching for its 4th development director in 5 years, not counting the two additional development directors who left for personal reasons.
● Comparable orchestras have larger development departments: Kansas City Symphony – 7 members; Utah Symphony - 9; Nashville Symphony - 12.
● Orchestras of similar size spend an average of 8% of total budget on fundraising. The FWSO Management spends less than 4%.
● Management has consistently spent only 4% of its budget on fundraising since 2008.
● Management's actions show a one-fold solution: cutting musicians' salaries.
...
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Association Claim No. 3:
“…current minimum salary of an FWSO musician is $54,953, and the average salary of an FWSO musician is $60,564, not including overtime and other compensation such as seniority pay.”
Musicians of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Facts:
● With the proposed cuts, the FWSO would rank 32nd in salary amongst the country’s top 50 orchestras. The FWSO musicians' salary would equate to the salary in 2003.
● Under the management’s proposal, FWSO musicians would earn $42,000 less than a Dallas Symphony musician, and $20,000 below the national average of 50 of the country’s top orchestras.
● Seniority and overtime are negligible, totaling about $500 per year for only the most senior members of the orchestra.
...
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Association Claim No. 4:
“… 46% of the Orchestra's $12 million budget goes directly to musician salaries and benefits. This percentage is higher than that for the top 50 orchestras (U.S) which average 33.5%”
Musicians of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Facts:
● This percentage has been increasing over the last few years simply because management has been shrinking its budget.
● The orchestras who spend around 33.5% of their budgets on musicians’ salaries include the Boston Symphony, with an $86 million budget, and the L.A. Philharmonic, with a $121 million budget.
● The average budget of the top 50 orchestras in the US is $36.4 million; the budget of the FWSO is $11.9 million.
...
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Association Claim No. 5:
“Currently, musicians are paid for 46 weeks annually, which includes 42 days of paid leave and vacation, as well as many other benefits…”
Musicians of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Facts:
● Management’s proposal is to have FWSO musicians play over 200 concerts in 42 weeks. Compare this to the 156 concerts the Dallas Symphony performed in 52 weeks (this season). Not only does the DSO get paid all year long at a higher rate than the FWSO, but it performs 20% FEWER concerts.
● Musicians need physical recovery days, so vacation weeks are necessary. The industry standard is an average of 6 vacation weeks, plus personal leave days. Management’s proposal is to cut the FWSO to 3 vacation weeks.
● Orchestras such as Dallas and Houston have 9 vacation weeks.
...
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Association Claim No. 6:
“…given the rising cost of healthcare, we are seeking to move from paying 93% of insurance premium downward to 85% – still very competitive among comparable orchestras”
Musicians of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Facts:
● The combination of reduced individual coverage and ZERO family coverage puts the FWSO at the BOTTOM of plans offered by the country’s top 50 orchestras.
● This past season, it cost $1746 per month to insure a family on the FWSOA health plan.
● Fort Worth is the only orchestra that plays more than 20 weeks a year and has NO disability benefits.
...
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Association Claim No. 7:
“Local government giving is a fraction of its previous levels. Revenue generated by the orchestra's endowment has been down for several years.”
Musicians of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Facts:
● Local government giving represents less than 1% of the FWSOA budget.
● The most recent FWSO endowment campaign was launched in 2000.
● In less than a year, the Buffalo Philharmonic has raised $23 million for its endowment. Detroit and Grand Rapids each recently raised $40 million for their endowments.
...
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Association Claim No. 8:
“…the management has been combating deficits caused by external factors beyond the organization’s control…”
Musicians of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Facts:
● The economic downturn and the loss of paid performances before 2010 were legitimately beyond management’s control, leading to the musicians' pay cut. With a resurging economy and the return of paid performances, management is still unable to balance the budget.
● Charitable giving nationally rose to a record level $373 billion last year.
● Great leadership means facing external circumstances and thriving. The following orchestras have successfully negotiated progressive contracts: Baltimore Symphony, Kansas City Symphony, Grand Rapids Symphony, Oregon Symphony, Nashville Symphony, Dallas Symphony, Florida Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony, Chicago Symphony, Chicago Lyric Opera, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and San Antonio Symphony.
...
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Association Claim No. 9:
“…we must turn to our musicians for a portion of our solution by seeking a reduction in musician compensation and benefits.”
Musicians of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Facts:
● Management said the same thing in 2010, when the musicians took a 13.5% pay cut.
● Management also said that the other portion of solving their financial problems was increased fundraising and increasing the number of donors. They did neither.
● Now the management is asking for an additional pay cut.
● This past season, it cost $1746 per month to insure a family on the FWSOA health plan.
...
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Association Claim No. 10:
“…everyone agrees the orchestra must grow in the long term…”
Musicians of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Facts:
● In the negotiations, the musicians have asked repeatedly for plans for growth, and management will not share any fundraising plans.
● There is no Strategic Plan past the year 2017.
● The Strategic Planning Committee has not met in more than one year (6/3/15).
...
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Association Claim No. 11:
“…assuring that Fort Worth remains home to a viable professional orchestra of the highest caliber…”
Musicians of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Facts:
● As wages decrease, fewer high-caliber musicians will choose to audition for the orchestra.
● Already, since 2010 musicians have been leaving the orchestra at twice the rate of the previous decade.
● Management’s salary proposal would put FWSO musicians $20,000 BELOW the national average.
● With the proposed cuts, the FWSO would rank 32nd in salary amongst the country’s top 50 orchestras.
...
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Association Claim No. 12:
“We continue to negotiate in good faith and hope that reason will prevail and an agreement can be reached…”
Musicians of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Facts:
● Since October 2015, management has not compromised on its proposed 8.7% pay cut at all.
● Management’s latest proposal actually INCREASES their pay cut demands to at least 10.1%, because they want musicians to pay for more of the health care costs.
● The musicians have compromised on our economic proposal four times.
● The musicians have been negotiating in good faith for more than 12 months.
Orchestras that have negotiated PROGRESSIVE contracts since 2015:
Dallas Symphony
Baltimore Symphony
Kansas City Symphony
Grand Rapids Symphony
Oregon Symphony
Nashville Symphony
Rochester Philharmonic
Cleveland Orchestra
Cincinnati Symphony
Chicago Symphony
Chicago Lyric Opera
St. Paul Chamber Orchestra
San Antonio Symphony
Atlanta Symphony
Charlotte Symphony
Milwaukee Symphony
Phoenix Symphony
San Francisco Symphony
Orchestras with significant fundraising SUCCESSES in the past year:
Buffalo Philharmonic
Houston Grand Opera
Grand Rapids Symphony
Houston Symphony
Detroit Symphony
Dallas Symphony
Baltimore Symphony
Kansas City Symphony
Grand Rapids Symphony
Oregon Symphony
Nashville Symphony
Rochester Philharmonic
Cleveland Orchestra
Cincinnati Symphony
Chicago Symphony
Chicago Lyric Opera
St. Paul Chamber Orchestra
San Antonio Symphony
Atlanta Symphony
Charlotte Symphony
Milwaukee Symphony
Phoenix Symphony
San Francisco Symphony
Orchestras with significant fundraising SUCCESSES in the past year:
Buffalo Philharmonic
Houston Grand Opera
Grand Rapids Symphony
Houston Symphony
Detroit Symphony