In Wednesday’s (12/16) Hartford Courant (Connecticut; subscription required), Dan Haar reports on the situation regarding contract talks between the Hartford Symphony Orchestra musicians and management. Negotiations on a labor agreement have been going on for several months, and the musicians are continuing to play. “Without a solid deal, the symphony will stop making music after the spring season, and might halt as soon as January.… On Tuesday, Stephen Collins, director of artistic operations and administration, sent a letter to the union that said, ‘the current season is in jeopardy and we are simply unable to commit to producing the 2016-17 HSO season at this time.’ The part about the following season had come up before, but not the threat of a midseason shutdown. A key issue is the amount of work guaranteed for the musicians, especially the 31 ‘core’ players—a number the union says should be 33, and that argument is the subject of one of several related labor complaints.” The musicians are represented by the American Federation of Musicians, Local 400. The orchestra is run by The Bushnell, a Hartford performing arts center that has handled orchestra management since 2014.
Posted December 17, 2015
