More Info From Jacksonville

On 12/24/2012, I published an article that linked over to a pair of letters related to the ongoing Jacksonville Symphony (JAX) labor dispute that were published in the Florida times-Union. One was from the JAX board chair elect and the other was from the JAX musicians’ negotiating committee. As it turns out, the paper apparently edited the latter letter without indicating the modification. On 12/31/2012 the newspaper published the complete letter …

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So Much For Tidings Of Comfort And Joy

Santa

Even through the holiday season is typically characterized by humanity and compassion, it doesn’t seem to be catching on at some of the brighter hotspots throughout the Season of Discontent. For example, the Minnesota Orchestra Association (MOA) announced additional cancellations through February 10, 2013 on the same day they posted public statements indicating a desire to schedule bargaining sessions. The only real change in public tone from the MOA is mention …

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Whip It Good In Minnesota

I had the pleasure of chatting with Cathy Wurzer on Minnesota Public Radio’s Morning Edition to discuss the recent Minnesota Orchestra Association (MOA) and St. Paul Chamber Orchestra (SPCO) labor disputes and what might be needed in order to bring about some positive change. Given the level of public rancor between each group and its respective musicians, it seems as though things are going to get worse before they get better. …

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Spokane Settles

It appears that the Spokane Symphony Orchestra (SSO) and its musicians reached an agreement thereby ending a month long strike. Details are slim; the SSO press statement and the musicians’ website announced that a deal was struck but neither sources provide data. However, the 12/5/2012 edition of The Spokesman-Review published an article by Chelsea Bannach that reports the agreement will last for two years and includes an 11 percent reduction in …

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Minnesota End Game

My Inside the Arts blogging colleague, conductor Bill Eddins, recently reminded me why it’s wonderful to be associated with a collection of sharp, insightful authors. Eddins published an article at Sticks and Drones on 12/3/12 that appears to be his final word on the Minnesota Orchestra Association (MOA) labor dispute. His sayonara post is brutally honest, yet brilliantly written, advice and insight for each of the intuition’s stakeholders. One aspect Eddins …

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