SF Symphony Chorus faces unprecedented salary cuts

The San Francisco Symphony is in trouble over collective bargaining agreements. A dispute over the SF Symphony Chorus’ contract, which expires July 31, is not boding well for negotiations over the orchestra’s contract (the current extension is valid through November 18).

The problem became public on Thursday when the SFS Chorus’ union representative, the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA), published a statement by the singers, who said that “management has proposed cutting the (SFS) choir’s budget by 80 percent.”

Extreme demands from workers and management are often put forward as an opening maneuver, but these negotiations are nearing their final stages, just weeks before the current collective agreement expires.

The astonishing development – which is not disputed by management – is that the SFS Chorus’ 32 paid singers will each receive $4,324 for all performances in the 2024-2025 season. That is less than the current salary of $21,621.06, which covers 26 performances and 56 rehearsals (82 performances).

A comparison to put these numbers in perspective: If we assume each service lasts three hours, management’s proposal would reduce hourly pay to $17.57 – barely more than California’s $16-an-hour minimum wage and less than the $20-an-hour minimum wage for fast-food restaurant workers in the state. Of course, the singers’ preparation time at home and their years of training cannot be factored into the compensation figures.

According to an AGMA spokesperson, the SF Symphony’s goal is to reduce the frequency of AGMA choristers’ collaboration with the orchestra. While this effectively reduces overall revenue, it is not consistent with the minimum wage model described above.

The history of the SF Symphony’s negotiations with its employees has been marked by ups and downs. There were several orchestra strikes in recent decades, but then, under the leadership of Mark C. Hanson as CEO and Sakurako Fisher as President of the Board of Directors, it became quiet rideThe contracts were signed long before they expired.

During the recovery from the pandemic and with the new leadership of the Symphony Orchestra, an unprecedented stalemate arose in 2022-2023. The orchestra worked over 300 days without contract until to settle down reluctantly for a one-year extension. In the years following COVID, the Symphony Orchestra Finance have become a controversial topic.

The choristers point to the ongoing conflict within the organization, saying: “The choir accounts for just over 1 percent of the overall budget and is critical to attracting audiences and donors. Simply put, when we sing, ticket sales are higher. The financial rationale for such drastic cuts simply does not make sense.”

“The Symphony has informed us that it expects a budget deficit of $12.5 million for the next fiscal year. Assuming that this deficit can only be resolved through cuts and not through improved fundraising or patronage, a cut of approximately $1 million in the (SFS) Chorus’ expenses is not sufficient to cover this deficit. A cut of 80 percent of (the organization’s) expenses of approximately $75 million would save nearly $60 million, suggesting that these cuts are disproportionately impacting the (SFS) Chorus.”

Responding to a question about Thursday’s AGMA release, the SF Symphony’s marketing and communications director said: SF Classical Voice:

“Our choir is an integral part of the (SF) Symphony, and we are engaged in serious negotiations to reach a mutually acceptable outcome. We met with our AGMA union partners just today and had productive discussions, and there will be more follow-up meetings.

“During this and previous meetings, we have spoken openly about the enormous financial pressures we are facing – like many other arts organizations since the pandemic. We are working with union representatives to address these realities together. Out of respect for the negotiating process, we will not disclose details of the talks at this time.”

The context for this statement is the Own description of the symphony of the SFS choir:

“One of America’s most prestigious choirs, the 152-member San Francisco Symphony Chorus, (celebrated) its 50th anniversary in the 2023-2024 season. In September 2023, Music Director Esa-Pekka Salonen and the (SF) Symphony announced Jenny Wong as the next conductor of the (SFS) Chorus.

“The SF Symphony Chorus is known for its precision, power and versatility, performing more than 26 concerts each season and consisting of 32 professional and 120 non-professional members.

“Recordings with the SF Symphony Chorus have won a total of eight Grammy awards, including three for Best Choral Performance. SFS Media’s recording of (Gustav) Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 with (Michael) Tilson Thomas and the SF Symphony and Chorus won three Grammys in 2010, including Best Choral Performance.”

The singers’ response to the threat of an 80 percent cut: “There are smarter, less damaging ways to address financial problems without undermining our chorus or further exploiting unpaid talent. A more transparent approach to the symphony’s finances and a strategic use of the endowment are essential.”

“Our goal is not only to save our union jobs, but to ensure that the Symphony continues to thrive artistically. The Symphony is one of the few unionized choral jobs in the Bay Area, and yet many of us must work multiple jobs simultaneously to survive as professional musicians in this city. The Symphony’s proposal to reduce our guaranteed work will be financially devastating to the dwindling number of unionized choristers in the city and will make it more difficult to retain artistic talent in the Bay Area.”