Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Orchestra Salaries


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Posted by Rick Denney on May 10, 2003 at 00:26:41:

In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Orchestra Salaries posted by Wade on May 09, 2003 at 17:07:06:

I didn't call it unprofessional. I said that it looked unprofessional, and there is a difference. It is a salient point to those out there in the community who don't attend the symphony but whose taxes are still requested to help pay for it. Musicians talk of being professionals like doctors and lawyers, and then negotiate using collective bargain the same as those folks in the community. You'd think that those folks in the community would be sympathetic to the cause of a fellow union, but by my observation they are too wise to the action and they therefore are cynical and distrustful of it.

Collective bargaining focuses on what you are owed, rather than focusing on what you contribute, and the latter is what will persuade people.

Right now, the chief of police in the District of Columbia is being roundly chastised for negotiating an increase in salary from 150K to 175K after five years with no increase. He could, quite legitimately in my view, talk about the increase in the cost of living and how much other chiefs of police are being paid. But instead, he talks about his plans for continued improvement of the police department, and his mission not yet being accomplished, etc, etc. There are others who support him who have mentioned those other things, but even they spend most of their time talking about the improvements in the department under the current chief's tenure. I predict that he will win the support he desires. (I should add that I have no opinion on his skills, but anybody who can survive in that quagmire of politics at the DC government for half a decade and still have their sanity deserves whatever they are getting paid).

Collective bargaining is by its very nature an adversarial approach and brings that assumption to the negotiation. In my opinion, that does not bring strength to the musicians' cause in many cases. For industry where the public's tax money is not at stake, it is easier to tolerate.

Rick "with some experience hearing from taxpayers" Denney


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