Ospa musicians want readjustment in budget to maintain instruments

The Association of Employees of the Porto Alegre Symphony Orchestra Foundation (Affospa) held a public demonstration at the opening concert of the 2023 Season of Ospa regarding an indemnity fund received by the musicians for the maintenance of instruments and clothing. According to the association, this amount would have been uncorrected by the state government for 11 years. Today, musicians receive around R$ 1,200 from this compensation amount. The association’s claim is that there be a readjustment of 100% of that sum, which would increase it to approximately R$ 2,400.

According to the president of Affospa, Rafael Figueredo, there is already a bill in the State Legislative Assembly that provides for the correction required by musicians. However, the PL that deals with the subject is stalled in the Civil House. “We want the government to unarchive this project so that it can be voted on. We have been negotiating with Piratini for at least a year and a half, but we still haven’t gotten a concrete response from its representatives”, says Figueredo.

To show the gap in the amount currently received, Affospa explains that the instruments used by the orchestra, in addition to having been purchased by the musicians themselves, were largely made outside the country, which means that their maintenance is quoted in dollars or euro. The last time the compensation amount was readjusted, in 2012, the dollar was quoted at around R$ 2. Today, the American currency exceeds R$ 5.

“I’m a bass player and a set of bass strings costs close to R$3,000. All the materials are imported and maintenance ends up being very expensive”, exemplifies Figueredo. to keep the instruments up to date, but we reached a point where we could no longer afford it”, he protests.

Affospa claims that the current management has shown to be in favor of culture, which is observed with advances in the orchestra itself. However, the association felt the need to expose the situation so that Rio Grande do Sul society could understand and support its manifestation.

“Our claim has already gone through all instances that give the endor*****t for it to move forward. There was a financial assessment that verified that there is no relevant impact on the State coffers and a legal analysis that validates the action”, adds the secretary of Affospa Tácio Vieira. For the association, the obstacle may lie in the government’s concern about possible political erosion with other categories of civil servants who also claim different types of corrections.

Project will be forwarded in a timely manner, says secretariat

In a note, the Secretary of State for Culture reported that Governor Eduardo Leite (PSDB) is aware of the importance of the project. “We are going to put together a political strategy to take action at an opportune moment”, says the statement.