Detroit Symphony Orchestra Talks to Last Into Weekend

[MilesColtrane]

Response pending to union proposal for arbitration

http://www.detnews.com/article/20110305/ENT01/103050353/1033/ent01/DSO-talks-to-last-into-weekend

Michael Hodges / The Detroit News

Attorneys for both sides in the Detroit Symphony Orchestra strike continued to talk Friday, according to musicians' and management sources.

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At issue is whether DSO officials will agree to binding arbitration to settle the five-month-old strike, as musicians proposed Tuesday. The proposal included no deadline for a response, though some have since complained about the time they've waited for an answer.
"We continue to hold out the hand of friendship in hopes we can find a pathway to settlement," said musicians' spokesman Greg Bowens. "But our patience is not without end."

-snip-

"The musicians' attorney, Leonard Leibowitz, has been in regular exchanges with our negotiating attorney (Bernard Plum)," Hogle said. "When exchanges are going on with the attorneys, that's a good thing. Serious matters should allow for serious exchange."
Musicians walked out Oct. 4 after talks collapsed and officials at the financially strapped orchestra imposed a new contract with wide-ranging changes in work rules and base-pay cuts of 30 percent. Over time, the two sides edged closer to an agreement. Management's most recent proposal softened the pay cuts to 20 percent. It also included a contentious $2 million that would be exclusively restricted to community outreach and education. Musicians rejected that offer Feb. 19.

DSO officials then suspended the remaining season.

Five months is a long time to be on strike.

I fear that Walker and the other Republican Governors have poisoned the well when it comes to anyone in a union in the entire country currently trying to negotiate a CBA.

[MrModerate]

1. I wouldn't say that cultural institutions are the first to go when times get tough . . .

But they're uniquely vulnerable. Especially live performance which finds it very difficult to compete with recorded media.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

2. It is most likely over

IIRC Honolulu Symphony also folded recently