A Collective Bargaining Agreement makes everything possible.
With the arrival of General Director David Speers in 1998, Arizona Opera set in motion a plan to nurture and expand the artistic excellence of the company. This included innovative sets, costumes and lighting, the engagement of the talented young artists and an "in-house" orchestra with an expanded rehearsal schedule.
In 2000 Arizona Opera took a step further and appointed Maestro Cal Stewart Kellogg as its first Principal Conductor. The largest and most professional group of musicians in the organization's history was established.
By establishing a dedicated orchestra and principal conductor for the opera, Arizona Opera made a strong artistic commitment to the cultural life of Phoenix and Tucson. The community responded with record subscription sales, increased single ticket sales, sold out productions and enthusiastic critical acclaim.
Collective Bargaining
On this road to higher artistic levels, an important document was born - a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). This is a document common to union-based organizations, including: symphony, opera and Broadway musicians, screen writers guilds, transit workers, stage hands and teachers, among many others. It is a tried-and-true method that assures a fair and acceptable work environment for both employers and employees.
The CBA begins with a process known as "collective bargaining." This is when organized workers represented by a union collectively meet with employers to discuss and agree to work conditions. This process allows both parties to go over the details of wages, hours of work, vacation time, working conditions and hiring/firing procedures, among others.
Collective bargaining is a good way to negotiate issues through dialogue rather than through conflict. Most importantly, it has one very valuable by-product; a successful history of bona fide dealings leads to a generation of trust. It contributes towards mutual understanding by reinforcing a continuing relationship. This process over time can generate an attitude of attacking problems together rather than at each other.
For AZOOMA, collective bargaining and our CBA is the "glue" that holds everything together.
In reality it is a labor contract between the opera and the musicians' union (which represents the musicians), but metaphorically and spiritually it is much more.
It is our mutual promise and commitment to each other and to the community.
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