Cleveland Orchestra management and the union representing its musicians haven't held contract talks since they failed to reach a settlement last week. No talks are currently scheduled, so it would take emergency negotiations to prevent a strike. The musicians' union has set the deadline for an agreement at Midnight following Sunday's Martin Luther King Day concert
Longtime music critic Tim Page is a professor at the University of Southern California and he says the situation doesn't look good.
PAGE: Any time that you don't have both sides talking to each other, you have very definite danger of a strike, and I certainly hope that's not the case. Because strikes leave long memories and long histories between players and management.
Oboist and chairman of the musicians' negotiating committee Jeffrey Rathbun said in a statement that the players wish it hadn't come to this.
At recent concerts, Cleveland Orchestra musicians have started their shows in the audience, handing out brochures explaining their position. They balk at the orchestra management's proposal of a 5 percent pay cut, followed the next two years by a return to their present pay and then a small raise. The union has proposed a pay freeze, but not a cut.
Orchestra management says in this poor economic climate, they need shared sacrifice from the musicians. In a statement today, Orchestra Executive Director Gary Hanson said that management is prepared to continue negotiations and is open to mediation toward what he calls a fiscally responsible and fair contract with the union. He says the Orchestra regrets the prospect of a work stoppage, but is making contingency plans in case.
A strike next week would be felt beyond Cleveland. The Orchestra has a residency planned at Indiana University followed by performances in Miami. Both would lose out unless an agreement can be reached quickly.