Difficult conditions for German orchestras
On the occasion of the start of the season, the German Orchestra Association (DOV) points out the increasing concerns and problems of German orchestras nationwide. The main cause for concern is the trend towards in-house collective agreements with wage cuts.
According to DOV Managing Director Gerald Mertens, the number of German orchestras that are still doing relatively well artistically and economically is decreasing. The increasing number of so-called in-house collective agreements, in which orchestra members have to forgo wages for a limited period in order to keep their jobs, is a cause for concern.
However, current calls for symphony orchestras to be converted into part-time orchestras for reasons of cost-cutting, such as the Robert Schumann Philharmonic Orchestra Chemnitz, or for 25 percent salary cuts, as in the case of the Mecklenburgische Staatskapelle Schwerin, are also worrying.
At the end of September, the Federal Labor Court is also expected to make a decision on the future of the wage link between orchestra remuneration and the public sector, which has been in place for decades. Around 100 out of 131 cultural orchestras have not received a regular wage adjustment since 2010, writes the DOV.
