San Antonio Symphony News and Archive

Symphony's musicians to play on despite pay shortage




By Mike Greenberg

from the San Antonio Express News 4/22/98



San Antonio Symphony musicians heard a sour note Tuesday before a rehearsal for tonight's Coronation of the Queen of the Order of the Alamo: no restitution for last week's short paychecks.

Symphony musicians and staff will have to wait another week to be paid the balance of their April 15 paychecks, which were shorted 80 percent.

"We anticipate another week. We've said all along that we are one week behind in cash flow. We've fallen another week behind," the symphony's executive director, David Schillhammer, said Tuesday.

The musicians issued a statement expressing disappointment in the pay delay and "trust that our community will find the resources to help restore the symphony's financial well-being."

Principal tuba player Lee Hipp, the musicians' official spokesman as chairman of the orchestra committee, said musicians wiil continue to play despite the pay shortage.

"We don't want to be the reason that the music stops. We want that to be the (symphony) board's responsibility."

The April 15 payroll was the fourth this year in which all symphony employees received only 20 percent of their normal earnings on the normal payday.

Thrice before, the 80 percent balance was paid one week later,and Schillhammer had said last week that he expected the April 15 payroll to follow the same pattern.

The symphony needs $125,000 to pay the balance of the April 15 payroll, Schillhammer said.

Asked if the symphony has any money in the bank, he responded:
"April is historically a month when the inflows are not as strong. We have any number of payables in addition to payroll that needed to be made, although we have tried to make payroll the top priority."

Payables include "artists' fees, rent payments, things to keep the doors open and the lights on," Schillhammer said.

However, he said, "It would appear we will make both the May 1 payroll and the balance of the April 15 payroll" next week.

Hipp was less optimistic about the May 1 payroll.

"A pension fund payment is due at the end of April," Hipp said.

Meanwhile, some musicians are facing financial troubles of their own.

"People are taking out loans, dipping into their retirement funds," Hipp said. Despite the commitment to keep playing, "Some people will find themselves in a position where they will have to make some money."

Hipp said he is trying to find out if the musicians would be able to tap the emergency relief fund of the International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians.

The American Federation of Musicians also has an emergency fund, but Hipp said the "AFM is our strike fund. We don't want to touch that."

The musicians' hand written statement reads:
"The musicians of the San Antonio Symphony want to assure the people of San Antonio of our commitment to them. The San Antonio Symphony will perform for the Coronation of the Queen of the Order of the Alamo, in spite of our current problems with payroll."

"We were disappointed to learn today (Tuesday) that we would not receive the remaining 80 percent of our April 15 paycheck. This has been a difficult situation for the musicians who continue to trust that our community will find the resources to help restore the symphony's financial well-being."



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