2021 San Antonio Symphony strike

During the 2019–2021 collective bargaining agreement, the workers of the Symphony had agreed to temporarily lower their pay by as much as 80% to help compensate for the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, under the expectation that they would return to their original pay levels for a new contract beginning in 2022. However, on 13 September 2021, the Symphony's management presented a final offer to the workers that would include cutting the number of full-time musicians by around 50% and would hire part-time musicians to fill the roles at 30% of the original salary and without benefits such as health insurance.^[6][7] On 16 September, the workers unanimously voted to reject the offer. Mary Ellen Goree, the chair of the Musicians of the San Antonio Symphony, stated that the management had "presented a proposal to the management of the board that contained cuts in our own pay, and we also proposed a joint management-musician fundraising initiative. They rejected that out of hand and presented us with their 'last, best, and final offer' without actually negotiating."^[8]

On 26 September, the Symphony management announced that it would be imposing its offer on the workers. In response, workers walked off the job the next day, beginning strike action.^[9][10] On 1 October, the Baltimore Symphony Musicians announced that it would be gifting $10 000 to the San Antonio musicians to show solidarity with the strike, responding to a call from the International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians.^[11] On 12 October, the musicians held a picket demonstration outside the Symphony offices.^[12][13] On 19 October, the Symphony announced the cancellation of its first two scheduled concerts of the season due to the strike.^[14]

• Striketober
• Strikes during the COVID-19 pandemic