San Antonio Symphony News and Archive

Musicians demand top level change




By Mike Greenberg

from the San Antonio Express News 9/3/98



San Antonio Symphony musicians have agreed to consider pay cuts, but also want management heads to roll.

Breaking a morning impasse, contract talks between the San Antonio Symphony and its musicians staggered forward late Wednesday.

In the morning's bargaining session, the musicians "made what we consider to be a generous economic concession," said flutist Jean Robinson, who leads the musicians' negotiating team.

The management team rejected that offer outright and the musicians declared the talks dead. But late Wednesday, Robinson received word that management would submit a counteroffer.

"We are glad they have not shut down negotiations," Robinson said.

In the face of mounting debt and the demands of potential donors for budget cuts, the symphony board last month asked the musicians for more than $617,000 in wage and benefits concessions.

The musicians offered some financial concessions, but demanded the removal of the symphony's "top management" in exchange.

Robinson declined to name the specific target of the musicians' ire; the top management position is held by executive director David Schillhammer.

The musicians had met Tuesday afternoon in response to management demands to reopen the labor contract only one year into a three-year agreement.

The musicians agreed to authorize reopening the contract, but added a demand that top management be replaced and vacant marketing and fund-raising positions be filled.

They also called for "verification" of pledges of additional funding form local businesses and foundations.

The vote was the first public sign of the musicians' loss of confidence in the management team led by Schillhammer.

Throughout last winter and spring, as the symphony missed one payroll after another, musicians had continued to express support for the symphony's management and board.

"We held out the hope that our management could turn our situation around, but we no longer have confidence in them," Robinson said Wednesday. "If we make economic concessions, we have the right to insist on competent and responsible management."

Schillhammer declined comment and referred all questions to board chairman Charles Lutz.

In a statement delivered by voice mail Wednesday afternoon while talks were still stalled, Lutz said: "We are very disappointed by the action taken by the union representatives on behalf of the musicians today."

"The symphony board's goal has been to arrive at a new contract that would allow the symphony to continue on into their 60th anniversary season and for many seasons to come. That is still the symphony board's goal."

Lutz previously has said offers of extra aid from local businesses and foundations are contingent on proposed budget cuts. He declined to name the potential donors or specify the size of the additional gifts, but other sources have set the figure at $5 million over five years.

Tuesday's vote reflects the musicians' skepticism about the rescue offers.

"We're being told that if we agree to the symphony's terms, donations will magically pour in," Robinson said in a prepared statement issued late Tuesday.

"How can we be sure? The amendment we passed calls for commiments in writing. We feel we're owed at least that much in order to make informed decisions."

The symphony is scheduled to open its 60th anniversary season on Sept. 11. Under the musicians' current contract, the symphony could not cease operations until the end of a process of negotiation, fact-finding and mediation.

That process would continue at least through late October, if no agreement is reached earlier.

Meanwhile, a group of symphony supporters plans to stage a rally on the steps of City Hall at 1 p.m today and to ask City Council to increase funding for the orchestra.



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