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Friday, September 13, 2019

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra is going on strike Update 9/13

As some of you know, Ed and I have a double subscription (12 concerts total) to the BSO at Strathmore.

Update 9/13/19:

BSO musicians reject contract offer, jeopardizing season opening; no further talks scheduled

~ Baltimore Sun

BSO Musicians Say They're Not Performing At Meyerhoff Saturday, Reject Both Contract Offers

~ CBS Baltimore

Even record attendance wouldn't turn around the BSO. Other cities' orchestras show what could.

~ Baltimore Sun

Is It Now A Strike And Not A Lockout? Baltimore Symphony Musicians Reject Both Contract Offers

~ ArtsJournal
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Press Statement 9-9-2019

Baltimore Symphony Musicians

September 9, 2019

Baltimore Symphony Management intent on cutting season despite offer of $1 million from generous donors.
At 6:59 pm this evening, BSO management issued a “take it or leave it” offer to the BSO Musicians which will be presented to the orchestra for a vote tomorrow evening. The proposal contained wage and benefit cuts of 20%. The federal mediators proposed an extension of negotiations until close of business Thursday. Management rejected the federal mediators proposal. Musicians then suggested an extension until the close of voting by the membership on this final offer. Management rejected that proposal as well.
The Baltimore Symphony Musicians negotiated in good faith throughout the summer. We organized prominent donors to assist in this process. These generous donors brought $1 million designated specifically for musician compensation to help secure a contract. We want to express appreciation from the bottom of our hearts, to these donors for their unwavering commitment. It is incredibly disheartening that BSO leadership would fail to embrace this offer of help from some of Baltimore’s leading philanthropists.
Where do we go from here? The musicians will continue the fight to preserve our 103-year old institution, which serves the City of Baltimore, the surrounding counties and the State of Maryland. We stand ready and willing to get back to the negotiating table to achieve an agreement that will enable us to continue to attract and retain the highest quality musicians to perform for our audiences.
This is a dark day in the history of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Over the past three months the musicians have each lost over $20,000 in salary, with more to come. This dispute isn’t just about money. It is also about respect, respect for the quality of the musicians on stage, respect for generations of Marylanders who have built this orchestra and for the thousands of people who have bought tickets and have donated to this venerable institution.
Contact: Co-Chairs Baltimore Symphony Musicians
Greg Mulligan (410) 979-0208 opus95gm@gmail.com
Brian Prechtl (410) 935-7322 bprechtl.1962@yahoo.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/baltimoresymphonymusicians/                                    
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