AGMA stands in solidarity with our instrumentalist colleagues in the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, union members of the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) Local 6, as their negotiations escalate.
As fellow union members and Artists of the San Francisco Symphony Chorus, we are alarmed to see the same hostility from Symphony management and the Board to the Orchestra that we faced back in December. Our own contract was only secured after a long fight and a 3-day strike over which the Symphony cancelled the season opener. It’s clear the Symphony has not learned from that crisis, and is now engaging in another public fight with the Players who represent the core of their artistic product.
Once again, Symphony management has resorted to claiming financial crisis and proposing drastic cuts, a playbook they already tried and failed with AGMA. Instead of working with their musicians, they’re spending time and resources trying to discredit them—this time even launching an entire website to do it.
The Chorus was fortunate last winter. The creation of the new Chorus Endowment Fund, a gift which AGMA helped to secure, forced the Symphony to back off its threats (for now). It also demonstrated that it’s possible to grow resources in a way that benefits everyone. We had hoped the Board and Management would use that moment to reconsider the prudence of cuts to their artistic labor, but also to reset their relationship with the union members who make this institution what it is.
We urge the Board and Management to work in partnership with AFM Local 6 and all its labor unions to plot a future for this world-class Symphony, which celebrates and invests in its Artists.
We encourage our members, communities, and allies to follow the SF Symphony Musicians on social media, engage with their posts, join their mailing list at sfsmusicians.org, and write to management to express your support for the musicians (be sure to add the players’ email address when emailing management at sfsmusicians@gmail.com so they can see your support letter too).
In solidarity,
The AGMA SFSC Negotiating Committee:
Elliott Encarnación
Executive Council, AGMA
SF Symphony Chorister
Sally Mouzon
Western Region VP, AGMA
San Francisco Area Chair, AGMA
Michael Jankosky
AGMA Governor
SF Symphony Chorister
Morgan Balfour
SF Symphony Chorister
Matthew Peterson
SF Symphony Chorister
Jennifer Mitchell
SF Symphony Chorister
Chung-Wai Soong
SF Symphony Chorister
Amy Foote
SF Symphony Extra Chorister