“The Binghamton Philharmonic intended its Sept. 26 opening concert to be a significant moment for its 2015-16 season, with the classical series returning to downtown Binghamton,” writes Chris Kocher in the Thursday, August 20 issue of the Press and Sun Bulletin (Binghamton, New York). “Instead, a labor dispute with the musicians’ union over compensation has led the philharmonic to cancel that concert, and others later in the season are under threat if a new contract can’t be reached. At the heart of the dispute… is a wage freeze exacerbated by a proposed reduction in mileage allowances, which help to draw musicians from New York City and the surrounding tri-state area. Brittany Hall, the philharmonic’s executive director, said that negotiations on a new two-year contract began in April, with four sessions that did not produce an agreement. A federal mediator then acted as a go-between … but when the two parties returned to the table on Aug. 12, a resolution still could not be reached. … Celeste Wroblewski, vice president, marketing and communications for the League of American Orchestras, said … that disputes leading to canceled concerts are rare. … Both sides are hopeful that they can return to negotiations and hammer out a contract before any future concerts need to be canceled.”
Posted September 2, 2015
