Metropolitan Opera New York
The Metropolitan Opera has to cut expenses. Last year, the opera’s $311 million budget showed a deficit of $2.8 million. Not willing to further diminish the company’s endowment, the Board decided to reduce costs. Now, the Met is proposing in contract talks to cut compensation for its union-represented workers for the first time in decades. A total of 2,437 union members work at the Met, full-time, part-time, seasonally or occasionally. The Unions would prefer to save money on the productions with cheaper sets, costumes etc. According to the Wall Street Journal, the American Guild of Musical Artists has submitted a proposal for a committee to monitor the number of new productions, the costs of sets and costumes – particularly parts the audience can’t see – and the cost of international air travel for artists.
