(SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA) - Members of American Federation of Musicians (AFM) Local 6 have gone out on Strike right as the San Francisco Opera was set to begin its 2026-2027 season, escalating their fight for a fair contract. These World-Class Musicians have been working under an expired agreement since the end of July. Before the Strike, Members firmly rejected management’s proposed five-year wage freeze, which would be equivalent to a double-digit wage cut in a City where the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment is $4,250 a month. “A Strike is not something we take lightly and we are deeply sorry to everyone who planned to spend this evening at the opera,” the Union said in a statement. “We have been clear throughout these negotiations that management’s offers were insufficient and that without a fair contract we would have no choice but to stop work. Management’s insistence on cuts has left us no other option.”

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: San Francisco Opera strike cancels performances through Sept. 20