Monday (11/5) on the Minnesota Public Radio website, Euan Kerr writes, “Today’s board meeting of the Minnesota Orchestra Board wrapped up without any announcement of concert cancellations, but they seem likely to come soon. … [Orchestra President Michael] Henson declined to say if a decision had been made at the meeting about further cancellations. Minnesota Orchestra management cancelled all concerts through the end of November on October 1st, just hours after locking out the musicians. Musicians say they wanted to play and talk, that is continue negotiating while playing under the conditions of the expired contract. But in a release earlier in the day Board Chair Jon Campbell stated that ‘playing and talking’ would have cost the orchestra half a million dollars a month. He also said the Orchestra is now projecting a $6 million loss this year. Campbell’s comments came in a statement rejecting a musicians request to speak directly to the board. However Campbell said management would accept that only after musicians have made a contract counterproposal. While musicians have made offers to accept binding arbitration, they have consistently said in recent weeks they need an independent financial analysis of the orchestra’s finances before they can make a counter-offer. Following today’s board meeting musicians negotiator Tim Zavadil repeated a call for management to end the lock out and to resist canceling any more concerts.”
Posted November 6, 2012
