Labor Relations – Page 6

A Gig Of Last Resort. Part 2

Wednesday, March 11th, 2015 by Drew McManus

In Part 1, we discovered that there’s something not quite right at the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) where frustration has given birth to disenfranchisement. The musicians feel the institution’s overall commitment to artistic integrity has slipped below acceptable levels whereas BSO president and CEO, Paul Meecham, feels that the group is making tremendous strides and is as competitive as ever for both salaried and substitute musicians. Ultimately, the only people in …

A Gig Of Last Resort? Part 1

Tuesday, March 10th, 2015 by Drew McManus

There’s an interesting article by Tim Smith in the 3/8/2015 edition of the Baltimore Sun that examines the unusual decision by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) musicians to engage the services of a public relations firm. Although hiring a PR firm isn’t unusual in and of itself, it is typically reserved for times of active bargaining but the BSO’s current master agreement doesn’t expire until the end of the 2015/16 season …

It’s About Damn Time

Thursday, May 22nd, 2014 by Drew McManus

After five years of one labor dispute after another, it is satisfying to finally see a musician stakeholder group take a smarter approach toward developing a meaningful online presence. The New York Times published an article by Michael Cooper on 5/20/2014 that examines the metorchestramusicians.org website project; how it began, what sets it apart from other efforts, and why it is worth your attention. Perhaps the most important aspect about metorchestramusicians.org, …

This Town Ain’t Big Enough For The Both Of Us

Monday, February 10th, 2014 by Drew McManus

The Minnesota Orchestra Association (MOA) may be back to the business of presenting concerts, but that doesn’t mean the drama has abated. At the first concerts since the work stoppage, shouts from the audience to “bring back Osmo” and “Fire Henson” reportedly punctuated remarks from musician and board representatives. Unlike the traditional chicken or egg quandary, the issue of whether or not Vanska returns has at least one firm prerequisite: president …

Up And Running

Wednesday, October 30th, 2013 by Drew McManus

There’s nothing quite like a move to reaffirm the comfort of stability but change is good and mercifully, all went according to plan so today can be spent getting everything back in order. In the meantime, make sure you didn’t miss yesterday’s news about the musicians of the Charleston Symphony Orchestra voted to decertify and become a non-union orchestra. According to a report by Adam Parker in the 10/25/2013 edition of …