Last month the wage scale committee met to review our minimum wage scales. Our scales are what we believe are a fair minimum rate for the work we provide. Some of the research involved in determining those rates include cost of living increases, minimum rates for other cities in the south, and what is going on in our own community. Musicians are generally poorly paid in Florida, and it is up to all of us to demand what we are worth. Members should be familiar with our established minimum rates, and should get involved if they think those rates need to change. Only together can we successfully demand to be paid what we are worth.
Our Palm Beach Opera and Broadway Across America contracts were looked at carefully last month by our committees and officers. In the case of Palm Beach Opera, there was a question over how the utility horn position has been utilized, and we filed a grievance in the belief that the tenured musician filling that chair should be called on to fill vacancies in the section before subs and extras are engaged. The Broadway Across America agreement expires at the end of August, and the committee and officers have been reviewing the contract in preparation for negotiations for a successor agreement. We hope to begin negotiations at the end of August.