What do the FGO musicians want?

The musicians wish Florida Grand Opera to recognize that the Opera is the true employer of the musicians. They also wish the Opera to recognize the musicians' union as their bargaining representative.

Who Are the FGO Musicians?

The musicians are members of the community, teachers at local colleges and universities, teachers of local private music students. They are graduates of some of the most prestigious music schools in the country.

How long have they performed for FGO?

The musicians as a group have performed for the Opera since 2000. Individually, several of the musicians performed for the Opera for several years prior to 2000 as members of the Greater Miami Opera Orchestra and/or the Florida Philharmonic.

Hasn't the FGO always hired the orchestra through a third party?

No. In fact, during the 1980's the Opera had their own orchestra, the Greater Miami Opera Orchestra. Because many of those musicians were also members of what was to become the Florida Philharmonic, the musicians voluntarily gave up their contract with the Opera on the condition that the Opera continue to employ them under the Florida Philharmonic contract as a joint employer. The Opera was a signatory to the Florida Philharmonic contract up until the time they began using the current orchestra.