Classical-music lovers may not see much of Popejoy Hall auditorium in the weekends ahead.
The New Mexico Symphony Orchestra often performs at Popejoy, but since Aug. 31 , the 78 musicians in the orchestra have been in a pay dispute with the NMSO administration. As a result, the orchestra has stopped performing. Thirteen NMSO musicians are also faculty members at UNM.
The proposed 2009 contract — which the players declined — outlined a 25 percent pay cut for musicians and a 10 percent to 14 percent pay cut for administrators.
A 25 percent cut would put the musicians at $15,000 a year, less than they made in 1992, NMSO oboe player and UNM Associate Professor Kevin Vigneau said.
Vigneau also said that NMSO administrators earn six-figure salaries.
Terry Davis, public relations specialist for Popejoy, said the NMSO performances are postponed, not canceled, so he doesn’t expect Popejoy will lose revenue because of the dispute.
But Richard White, NMSO tubist and UNM assistant professor, said he expects that some or all of the postponed concerts will be canceled.
“They’re saying postponed. In my mind, postponed is cancelling, so that’s why I say they’re illegally locking us out,” he said. “It’s going to get to a point now where it’s going to be impossible to reschedule all the concerts.”
White said the NMSO administration postponed the concerts to avoid paying the musicians the same salary they were given last year.
The players’ contracts expired on Aug. 31, White said. The players have not played any shows since then, but White said the players have not been forced to go on strike yet.
“They have to force the contract, they have to say ‘We’re implementing this contract, so you have to play,’” he said. “If they implement, then we have to take a strike vote, and then we would be on strike.”
NMSO President Eric Meyer said he doesn’t have a time frame for when the negotiations will end. He said the two parties are trying to find a solution that will work for both of them.
“I’m an optimist, and I hope that we can come to sides, but we’re still negotiating,” he said.
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White said the musicians object to imbalances in the pay between musicians and administrators. He said the administration has taken pay cuts, but the pay cuts for musicians are larger.
“From the musicians’ point of view, what we want is proper stewardship over the NMSO name, and we want sacrifice of equality,” he said. “I think if the staff took a 10 or 14 percent cut, that’s what the musicians should take. No more, no less.”
The NMSO musicians would be willing to take the pay rate from last year’s contract while negotiating a new one, White said.
“The musicians are willing and ready to play,” he said. “We’ve always been ready to play. It’s not our fault that we’re not on the stage.”
Vigneau said the way NMSO is run is harmful to the musicians. He said the focus on money over art is detrimental to the community.
“I personally worry about the application of sort of a corporate model to the arts, and that’s kind of what I feel is going on,” he said. “I’m not sure that is a successful model for the arts, and I hope we can stick together and see if it can change.”
White said the players and the administration will meet again Oct. 26 to continue negotiations.
