In Friday’s (2/10) Courier-Journal (Louisville, Kentucky), Elizabeth Kramer reports, “The Louisville Orchestra board asked musicians Thursday to enter into binding arbitration to end a contract dispute that has dragged on for nearly a year. The board said arbitration by an independent third party is its ‘final attempt to reach an agreement’ and it would ‘be forced to move forward with new musicians’ if the offer isn’t accepted by Feb. 17. Kim Tichenor, a violinist with the orchestra and the players’ negotiating committee chair, said she was cautious about the offer. … Tichenor also said management’s comment about finding new musicians sounded like ‘a threat,’ and asked, ‘Why do you make an offer of arbitration and then follow it up with a threat?’ Orchestra CEO Robert Birman said the arbitration offer is legitimate and is ‘the most independent way to come to a neutral outcome.’ … Under the orchestra board’s proposal, the musicians and the orchestra would choose from among five members of the National Academy of Arbitrators. The selected arbitrator would review the case and issue a binding decision regarding contract issues such as number of musicians to be retained, weeks of employment and benefits.”
Posted February 10, 2012
