I ran across a funny picture today, as I was looking up old reviews I’ve saved.
Heh … yeah, that’s me with those bangs and leggings and all. This was in September of 1992. The picture isn’t very clear (the paper is old and I didn’t do any touching up at all).
I’m glad styles have changed. Not that I’m in style right now (jeans and a shirt or sweater are fine by me).
This was the one and only strike I’ve been involved in. It was also one of the shortest strikes in history. But it did mean the weekends concerts were canceled if I remember correctly. Trouble was, the day before this happened there was a huge ad in the Merc saying, “The Symphony WILL play this weekend,” because there had been rumours of negotiation problems. I was on staff as music librarian at the time, and I was in the office when the press person brought in that ad to show all of us. I had to hold my tongue, when I really wanted to yell out, “You have got to be kidding! We very well might go on strike and this will make everyone look awful.”
The strike was short, but not sweet. Those in the office were furious. I had to go in to quickly pick up some music work, and they didn’t want to speak to me. Musicians were also a bit leary of me. I cried. Management sent flowers. Musicians didn’t. Hmmm.
I originally held a sign that said something about management getting raises while musicians didn’t. Then I realized what I was holding; I sure hadn’t ever gotten a raise, and all I knew was that everyone in the office had had a wage freeze, so I quickly put that sign down and picked up this one.
Old history, to be sure.
—–