TOKYO, 28 March — The Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, one
of the top orchestras in the country, has decided to introduce new contracts for
its members as part of its restructuring plan, officials of the orchestra said.
The two new contracts will have members choose between a fixed-term employment system and an annual contract system based on performance evaluation. The decision was agreed to during negotiations between the members' union and the secretariat of the orchestra run by the Tokyo metropolitan government.
This is the first time that a Japanese professional orchestra has decided to adopt a performance-based wage system comparable to that used by private-sector companies.
The decision may influence other orchestras that are struggling financially due to declining financial support from local governments and corporate patrons.
As part of the Tokyo metropolitan government's financial reform plan, pushed by Gov. Shintaro Ishihara, the metropolitan government began cutting subsidies for the orchestra in 2001, from 1.4 billion yen at that time to 900 million yen this fiscal year. Moreover, the metropolitan government urged the orchestra to introduce a performance evaluation system for its members, just like other employees of the metropolitan government, as a condition for its survival.
In November 2003, the secretariat of the orchestra submitted the restructuring plan to the orchestra's labor union.
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