UMO Jazz Orchestra and the city of Helsinki reached an agreement about the foundation’s economy and working conditions.
The city of Helsinki, the owner of UMO Jazz Orchestra, ordered a development research for the city’s only full-time big band in the spring of 2018. As a result of the study, the city council requested UMO to make a report of the effects of downsizing the work contracts from permanent positions to part-time jobs. UMO commissioned an independent, more thorough research that included also different employment models and other possible budget relieving actions.
During the fall of 2018, UMO has negotiated about the labor agreement terms with the Finnish Musicians Union and Avainta association. The negotiations resulted in an agreement, where the orchestra can retain their funding from the city and keep their permanent positions by cutting down their recording compensations. This corrective action, along with other reviving measures, will bring a saving of 12 %, which would have been the estimated rate of the part-time employment model. The UMO staff and the city council are both pleased with the outcome, and happy that the orchestra can continue their artistic work in peace.
As a handshake to the newly-affirmed co-operation between UMO and its hometown, the new name of the orchestra will be UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra. To improve the communication and interaction between the partners, they will also nominate a delegation to create a new strategy for the orchestra’s development.