Posted by wow wow on January 24, 2003 at 16:17:18:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Houston Symphony Cutting Jobs, Salaries posted by point counterpoint on January 24, 2003 at 15:56:57:
you: "And also remember that 4 people(well, string players) are going to lose their jobs. Thats a 100 percent loss of pay. That sucks for them a lot. Not to mention the fact that the orchestra will lose those string positions forever. This affects their product.
reply: You have no idea what you are talking about. The orchestra will hire, on a per-service-basis, players who will come in when the parts need to be covered. They always do that! The loss of four positions simply means that 4 additional string players are not guaranteed pay-for-services, whether they play or not! And the orchestra will actually sound BETTER as the personnel manager will be able to hire the best players per service instead of having to live with long-tenured, perhaps-no-longer-ready-for-prime-time-players!
I don't really like your tone. I know they could, if the money is there, hire people to sub out those four positions. The four people that lose their positions not only lose their guaranteed pay-fer service...but they also lose their benefits, and the gaurantee that they get the calls. They have to play the freelance game, and lose their job security also. Whatever you bitterness is towards professional players and their plight, I don't know, and I don't care.
If you think this situation comes about because the contract expired...then you don't know what you are talking about. Simply said, everyone is feeling the crunches. Esp[ecially orchestras. Solutions to problems need to be made, and they are not desirable. All I was saying is that it sucks, and that its a shame you don't have sympathy for their situation. I am sure they would have had sympathy for your situation. Not that they should have.