City Opera Musicians and Management Reach Agreement

After months of tense negotiations resulting in a lockout of musicians by management, the full New York City Opera orchestra voted today to approve a three-year contract. This approval allows the 2012 season of the venerated 68-year-old company to proceed.

“This settlement is far from ideal,” said Tino Gagliardi, president of Local 802, AFM, in response to the proposal, “but our membership has voted to move forward in the hopes that the deep concessions they have accepted will allow the Opera to begin to come back to fiscal health, expand its audience and rise from the ashes. Our great hope is that going forward, management can begin to make better decisions—increasing revenues and allowing for an eventual level of compensation that truly respects these A-list performers and honors the reputation of the ‘People’s Opera’ as a world-class ensemble.”

The new contract does prevent General Manager George Steel from executing his original plan to dismantle the professional company and turn salaried performers into itinerant freelancers without benefits. However, as is evidenced by the agreement, the musicians have demonstrated significant flexibility throughout negotiations regarding issues such as wages and health care.

The agreement establishes a Labor-Management Committee to address artistic, planning and fundraising issues. The committee was proposed in response to Steel’s management decisions, which have resulted in a reduction of the company’s performance schedule from more than 100 performances per year down to the 16 planned for the 2012 season. Audience growth has also been an issue, with Steel’s tenure characterized by low ticket sales (down 74%) and falling subscriptions (down 84%). Musicians also believe that Steel’s decision to abandon the Opera’s home at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center, remove the Music Director and begin performing only at smaller venues is the opposite of the bold vision needed to truly save the organization. They advocate investing in growth, as the Metropolitan Opera and Kennedy Center have done.

Said Gail Kruvand, Chair of Local 802's City Opera negotiating committee and double bassist,
“After losing our home at Lincoln Center, our Music Director and over 80% of our wages, this contract is a bitter pill to swallow. With that said, the orchestra is prepared to perform as the professionals we have been recognized as for the last 68 years.”

Rehearsals have begun for the NYCO’s La Traviata - opening February 12th.

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