The Hartford Symphony Orchestra has approved major union concessions. It now has to work on short-term and long-term financial goals, an executive said.
Steve Collins, Hartford Symphony Orchestra director of artistic operations and administration, said the union concessions will be worth $450,000 annually for the four years of the contract that expires in August 2019. He would not provide specifics on how union pay was affected. Collins did say union members’ hourly rate would not decline but the number of guaranteed performances would. Ten new positions will also be added to the musicians’ ranks.
The symphony has also committed to reducing expenses and increasing fundraising by $700,000, Collins said. He said that could be achieved in part by renegotiating vendor agreements and looking at employee efficiencies. He said those efficiencies do not include planned layoffs at this point.
The remainder of the 2015-2016 symphony season will proceed as planned, Collins said. There may be some modifications to specific programs, he added.
