Richardson Symphony Placed on AFM's International Unfair List

The Richardson Symphony, Inc. has been placed on the International Unfair List of the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada.

WHY: RSO President Jim Pierce announced July 1 that RSO would not negotiate a new contract with the musicians’ union. RSO has contracted with the union since 1992. The current contract expires August 31, 2010. Management called a June 30 orchestra meeting at Pierce’s Alliance Data office in Richardson, purportedly to discuss “structural changes” in operations, but Union reps Ray Hair, Karen Schnackenberg and Principal trumpeter Bert Truax were barred by a sheriff’s deputy who called Dallas Police to the scene. Police, acting on RSO’s orders, escorted the reps and Truax from the property despite an agreement designating Local 72-147 as the orchestra’s representative. RSO members in attendance reported that management officials said the meeting was called to advise that it would refuse to negotiate further with the union upon expiration of the existing contract. RSO’s actions prompted the union to place RSO upon the AFM’s International Unfair list, which triggers the possibility of fines of up to $50,000 and/or expulsion for AFM members who work for or with RSO. AFM represents 90,000 professional musicians across the US and Canada. Until the dispute is resolved, musicians will form picket and distribute leaflets to patrons to encourage them to refrain from attending RSO services. RSO members leafleted concertgoers at a May 8 performance to protest management’s late wage payments, chronically delinquent for most concerts over the past two years. A clip of Conductor Anshel Brusilow’s abusive rant aimed at principal trumpeter Bert Truax who protested RSO’s shabby treatment toward the orchestra, drew worldwide attention to the orchestra’s struggle to get paid on time and to rehearse and perform with without insult.
For further information, contact Local 72-147 President Ray Hair
at (Metro) 817-469-6040 or 817-988-5238 (cell).
Release #4, July 2, 2010 11:00am
www.musiciansdfw.org