It’s Official – We Have a New Contract!

After 17 long months of preparation and negotiation, we are happy to report that AZOOMA, the Arizona Opera Board Chair and Executive Committee have all ratified our new Collective Bargaining Agreement.

In brief:

AZOOMA has secured a long-term commitment through the 2011-2012 season. It is a three-year agreement with a side letter that includes two additional years of “right of first refusal.”

The agreement includes a wage-freeze for two years and a very modest wage increase in the third year in the face of the opera’s financial struggles.

• No pay increase for two years.
• A modest pay increase in the third year.
• A two-year freeze of our mileage reimbursement rate of thirty cents per mile – far below the IRS rate of 48.5 cents per mile.