International Guild of Symphony, Theater, Opera and Ballet Musicians

The International Guild of Symphony, Opera and Ballet Musicians (known as “IGSOBM” or “The Guild”) was formed in Seattle as an independent union in 1985. The Guild won its first National Labor Relations Board-supervised elections in 1988, becoming the union representing the musician employees of the Seattle Symphony, Seattle Opera, Pacific Northwest Ballet and the Northwest Chamber Orchestra.

The Guild was founded in direct response to frustration among Seattle Symphony musicians with their previous union's dues structure, and lack of responsiveness and service. Unlike other musicians' unions, the Guild restricts membership to "orchestral musicians and librarians who are employed by not-for-profit organizations," and is completely voluntary. Chapters (locals) keep nearly all of their dues income and make all decisions about their expenditures.

In 2018, the Guild changed its full name to IGSTOBM, The International Guild of Symphony, Theater, Opera and Ballet Musicians, to include theater musicians.

Membership/Fees

The Guild has an annual membership fee of $50. For chapter members, the fee is drawn from the first $50 of work dues. A minimum of 50% of the bargaining unit must be members for the Guild to be the bargaining agent.

Work dues % amounts are decided by vote by the membership in the chapters and the funds stay within the chapters. Currently, work dues are 0.5% for the SSOPO and 1.5% for the PNBOPO.

Guild members must be active professional musicians.

Officers

IGSTOBM Officers, elected in 2020

Timothy Hale, President
Roberta Downey, Vice President
Andrea Chandler, Treasurer
Tom Dziekonski, Secretary

IGSTOBM Board Members, since 2017

Mona Butler, PNBOPO
David Sabee, SSOPO

Pacific Northwest Ballet Officers, elected in 2019

Dana Jackson

Jennifer Nelson

Doug Nierman 

Ingrid Fredrickson
Virginia Dziekonski

Attorney/Legal Counsel

The International Guild of Symphony, Theater, Opera and Ballet Musicians' attorney/legal counsel is Michael Brunet of Garvey Schubert Barer.

Address
Second & Seneca Building
1191 Second Avenue
18th Floor
Seattle WA 98101-2939

Telephone
206.464.3939