Negotiations

The Latest Waypoint In The Met’s Ugly Labor War

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The Met is seeing a surge in negative feedback across their social media channels in response to the executive leadership’s decision to weaponize the negotiation process. By that, we mean it decided to cut off artist and technical employees from all current wages and insurance unless they agree to sizable long-term concessions. In an attempt to bolster good will and maintain audience engagement, the Met decided to release archived recordings from …

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That Odor You Smell Is Disaster Blowing In The Wind

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As a board member, it’s difficult to get an independent assessment of the institution and its strategic direction during periods of labor distress. There’s a natural inclination to look inward and draw strength from colleagues while not letting too many outside voices become a distraction. Having said that, you know things might be getting out of hand when a marquee level voice starts questioning your strategic wisdom. Case in point, Riccardo …

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How Not To End The Dumpster Fire That Is 2020

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2020 has been one series of challenges after another and while many groups have risen to meet the crisis with an eye toward shared sacrifice and longevity, there are always some that opt to engage in some of the very worst of behaviors. And what better way to end 2020 than point out an article by Caitlin Myers in the 12/15/2020 edition of 100daysinappalachia.com that highlights one of the standout labor …

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More Details On The Colorado Spring Philharmonic Orchestra’s Path Forward

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On Monday, 12/7/2020, we learned the Federally mediated bargaining between the Colorado Springs Philharmonic Orchestra (CSPO) and its musicians had broken down. At the time, the musicians issued a press statement that indicating they expect to pursue independent arbitration to address the illegal cancellation of their CBA. I reached out to the CSPO bass trombonist and Chair of the Players Committee, Jeremy Van Hoy, to learn more. “We have two grievances that …

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Mediation Fails To Resolve Colorado Springs Philharmonic’s Labor Dispute

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After multiple weeks of Federally mediated bargaining, the Colorado Springs Philharmonic musicians released a press statement on 12/6/2020 to announce those efforts have failed to resolve the ongoing labor dispute. The dispute was triggered in October 2020 when the employer decided to terminate an existing collective bargaining agreement (CBA) and replace it with non-union work contracts. According to the musicians, they used mediation to offer sizable concessions to help the organization …

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