Members of the San Francisco Opera Orchestra have signed a new five-year contract with the company that will restore pay cuts made during the previous contract, as well as increasing the hours of the musicians' workweek and ending health benefits for retired musicians. The contract agreement was reached after only a week of amicable negotiations, according to representatives of both sides.
See "S.F. Opera Orchestra musicians reach early agreement on contract", Joshua Kosman, San Francisco Chronicle, May 22, 2006