The Hon Martin Foley
Minister for Creative Industries
martin.foley@parliament.vic.gov.au
 
Dear Minister Foley,
 
Save the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
 
The musicians of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO) have been stood down without pay beyond the Jobkeeper Allowance during the current pandemic.  It is a gross injustice that this has happened while the majority of MSO administrative staff have been retained on 80% of their usual salary, and a stark contrast to how other major orchestras in Australia are supporting their players at this time.  The musicians are the irreplaceable, essential experts without whom we do not have an MSO.  As the Minister, we call upon you to resolve this untenable situation.
 
The “social distancing” necessary during the current pandemic has devastated the performing arts.  In most parts of Australia, the importance of major orchestras to the life of the community has been recognised, and the musicians have been supported to maintain their exceptional playing skills with most, if not all, of their normal salary while performing is not possible.  This is essential to allow professional musicians to keep up their skills and maintain their instruments (including the cost of loans taken to purchase these) and has been achieved using a combination of Jobkeeper and core funds. The current Management and Board of the MSO stand alone in their failure to negotiate in good faith with their musicians to come up with a similar arrangement.  There is no excuse for this.  A Board worthy of overseeing the MSO would value the players as their most essential employees, and should have prioritised their support above all others. Further, if Management are working responsibly, the money should be available to pay the musicians properly throughout this time.
 
The annual operating budget of the MSO is around $40 million.  Some revenue decrease is inevitable with loss of ticket sales and sponsorship during this pandemic.  However, State and Federal funding totalling over $13 million remains guaranteed, philanthropy continues, subscribers have been invited to donate the cost of tickets to cancelled concerts, and running costs are substantially reduced while no performances are happening.  There should be more than sufficient funds available to top up the Jobkeeper allowance for the 75 MSO musicians to something approaching their normal salary. It is essential that this should happen if Melbourne is to enjoy our world class symphony orchestra again once the pandemic is over.
 
We, the undersigned, call upon you as the Minister for Creative Industries to:
 

1.         Re-establish pay negotiations with the players of the MSO to achieve a fair and reasonable proposal in line with what has been achieved for other professional orchestras in Australia.  This is essential for the ongoing well-being of the fine musicians of the MSO.
 
2.         Stand down the Board of Directors and General Manager of the MSO.  They have displayed an inability to properly manage the orchestra, along with complete disdain for the musicians, who are the life-blood of our city’s orchestra and who have made every effort to negotiate a reasonable outcome in the current crisis with no success.  We and they deserve better.