In Thursday’s (8/15) Star Tribune (Minneapolis), Graydon Royce writes about ongoing negotiations to establish ground rules for a settlement between management and musicians of the Minnesota Orchestra. “The process continues through mediation under former Sen. George Mitchell, [who] made a proposal to soften the potential downside for musicians to engage in bargaining, according to the musicians’ negotiating committee. Musicians agreed to the terms but management declined, according to a confidential letter that the musicians’ team sent to board members Wednesday…. According to the musicians’ letter, Mitchell proposed a four-month interim agreement from Sept. 1 to Dec. 31. During the first two months, musicians would receive salaries based on their expired contract. If no formal pact was reached by Oct. 31, they would take a 6 percent pay cut for the remaining two months. If no deal was reached by year’s end, the parties would ‘return to their respective positions.’ … Michael Henson, the orchestra’s chief executive, would not comment on the proposal. ‘I can confirm that we are in a confidential negotiating process,’ Henson said…. Also on Thursday, composers and supporters of the Minnesota Orchestra Composer Institute … sent a letter to the mayors of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Gov. Mark Dayton, the orchestra board and musicians urging ‘all parties in this dispute … to break through the yearlong logjam.’ ”
Posted August 16, 2013
