In Thursday’s (11/8) Star-Tribune (Minneapolis), Graydon Royce writes, “The dispute between musicians and the board of the Minnesota Orchestra deepened Thursday as the orchestra canceled all concerts through the end of the year. The 21 canceled shows include holiday and pops concerts that routinely draw large crowds and produce sizable revenues. The next scheduled concerts would be Jan. 11. The announcement means the orchestra has canceled the first 2 1/2 months of its season—longer than any of the other large U.S. orchestras struggling with contract disputes this fall—and rhetoric between the two sides has become hotter. … Orchestra management has said it wants to cut $5 million from labor expenses—about 33 percent of current costs—via cuts in base and overscale salaries as well as in benefits and through a pay cut for substitute and extra musicians. … With both sides publicly dug in and no concerts set for almost two months, the question arises of what would get the two sides back at the negotiating table. Management rejects the musicians’ suggestion that concerts continue while the two sides talk. [Orchestra President and CEO Michael] Henson said last Friday that doing so under terms of the old contract would cause the orchestra to lose $500,000 a month. … The Minneapolis City Council last Friday passed a resolution encouraging a return to the [negotiating] table. Mayor R.T. Rybak said Thursday he is deeply concerned about the deadlock.”
Posted November 9, 2012
