In Sunday’s (9/30) Star-Tribune (Minneapolis), Graydon Royce writes, “The Minnesota Orchestra is on the brink of its first work stoppage since 1994. Union musicians voted unanimously on Saturday evening to reject what management had described as its final contract offer. The two sides will meet Sunday to see whether they can resolve the dispute that has grown increasingly acrimonious.” Late Sunday, Royce reported on the Star-Tribune online that “Minnesota Orchestra management on Sunday swiftly rejected two proposals from its players’ union, but it remained unclear whether musicians would be locked out once their contract expired at midnight. The orchestra management had said last week that it would lock musicians out if they did not accept a final offer, which would have cut average salaries by 34 percent. The players unanimously rejected those terms on Saturday. The two sides held a brief meeting on Sunday, where management said no to proposals that the contract dispute be put to binding arbitration, or that the two sides ‘play and talk’ under the terms of the now-expired contract. … No further talks are scheduled, and musicians on Sunday did not indicate whether they will picket Orchestra Hall in the event of a lockout.”
Posted October 1, 2012
