Columbus Symphony Musicians Unanimously Vote to Reject Board's "Final Offer"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 25, 2008

Columbus Symphony Musicians Unanimously Vote to Reject Board's "Final Offer"
Last night, the members of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra unanimously voted by secret
ballot to reject the CSO Board's "final offer" for a new contract which would take effect next
season. The offer called for a 40% annual salary cut from all 53 Full-Time Musicians with no
restoration in additional years. The current minimum annual salary is $55,200. Under the
Board's proposal it would be slashed to $33,000. The Board's offer would also require
Musicians to pay 30% of their monthly health insurance premiums, up to $480 per month for
Musicians with family coverage. In addition, the wages per rehearsal and concert for part
time Musicians would be reduced from $150 to $100. The value of these cuts from the
Musician's pockets would be approximately $1.4 million for next season.

Previously the Board rejected the Musician's proposal to accept a 6.5% annual salary cut, to
reduce monthly health insurance payments in return, but to share in future premium
increases, and to leave vacant any non-principal chair during long term leaves of absence
throughout the contract. Depending on the final number of vacancies, this would result in
savings next season of approximately $500,000. Three years ago, the Musicians agreed to an
11% annual salary cut which resulted in total savings over the past two and a half years of
$1.3 million.

Early in the negotiation process, the Musicians proposed that a third party consultant who
specializes in orchestra management be selected by mutual agreement and brought in to
evaluate the situation and to make recommendations to both the Board and the Musicians.

The Board immediately rejected that proposal insisting that no assistance was needed to
resolve matters. They later offered to accept the assistance of a consultant, but only in the
future after a new contract is reached.

The Board has told the Musicians that there may not be enough money to continue
operations beyond the end of this month without agreement on a new contract for next
season. Because the Board's proposal was presented as a "final offer", they will not consider
any further proposals from the Musicians.

Douglas Fisher, President of the Central Ohio Federation of Musicians, Local 103 AFM, the
union which represents the CSO Musicians stated, "We are disappointed that the Board has
rejected immediate assistance from an orchestra management consultant to advise both
them and the Musicians. The longer this crisis continues the more Musicians we will lose. So
far we have lost four high-profile Musicians to other full time jobs next season and that
number will likely increase. It has taken decades for this small group of Musicians to develop
into the high quality ensemble that it is today. Because there are only 53 full time Musicians,
losing even a small number of them has a profound effect on the orchestra's quality."

Jim Akins, Chair of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra Committee and Principal Tuba said,
"Key economic data even in today's economy proves that central Ohio has the means to
support this orchestra at an even higher level and that our region is as strong economically as
the four major cities which surround it. Yet the orchestra's annual budget is two to three
times smaller than the orchestras in those cities. Central Ohio deserves an orchestra of high
quality and I hope that those who care will step up and refuse to let it die".

For further information please contact Douglas Fisher at 614-783-3684 or Jim Akins at 614-
361-1481. Also, please visit www.symphonymusicians.com, the official website of the CSO Musicians, for detailed financial information on the CSO and how it compares to surrounding cities.