Minnesota Orchestra Musicians
Yes. The musicians of the Minnesota Orchestra in Minneapolis, MN, represented by the Twin Cities Musicians Union Local 30-73 have been locked out by management since October 2012.
Why is this not on the news? Why is this not on MSNBC? Why are the TV hosts not all over this?
Let's get them to notice, shall we?
Yes. The musicians of the Minnesota Orchestra in Minneapolis, MN, represented by the Twin Cities Musicians Union Local 30-73 have been locked out by management since October 2012.
Why is this not on the news? Why is this not on MSNBC? Why are the TV hosts not all over this? Sure NBC wrote about one thing: an offer that had already been rejected by the musicians by the time management sent it to the press.
This is a situation that has been well-noticed by bloggers who write about classical music and the orchestra business. I think it's high time it gets noticed by and written about everyone else.
Care to help me out?
By definition, mediation requires that both sides bargain in good faith. Management has already stated that they won't meet with musicians until they agree to a 40% pay cut and in requesting that, state that they will accept nothing less because they don't want to give up any leverage. How does requiring total capitulation by the other side prior to even sitting down with them show a desire to bargain in good faith? How does being ballsy enough to actually say you don't want to give up leverage show a desire to bargain in good faith?
Management also agreed to mediator, George Mitchell (Former US Senator and broker of peace talks in Northern Ireland, a seemingly much easier task for him!) but has already rebuffed him by sending the above-linked "offer" to the musicians outside the mediation process and then by sending it to the press despite its already having been rejected.
I write a classical music blog called Giocosity because I enjoy music and like to write about it. While I don't work in the music business, I do have a masters degree in Labor and Human Resources management from Ohio State. And while I now live in Columbus, Ohio, I used to live in Minneapolis. If I were still there, I would be in Congressman Keith Ellison's district - which is the district in which the Minnesota Orchestra resides. (Well, it's where their Orchestra Hall resides - which you can rent out, if you'd like, since the Minnesota Orchestra isn't actually performing.)
The end of August, I took a moment to help organize a lot of writings on this topic. If you'd like to get some of the back story on all this, I recommend checking this post as if includes many links from those actually in the classical music industry. It includes my take on things as well, which includes a (commonly-held) belief that management has yet to bargain at all in good faith.
Minnesota Orchestra: Links
On Labor Day last week, 15 or so classical music industry bloggers all agreed to write about the situation up in Minnesota. I decided to join them by adding my thoughts as well as linking all their posts in mine. Among what they wrote are viewpoints ranging from industry consultants, conductors, patrons, musicians, etc, that are all worth taking the time to read.
Minnesota Orchestra Musicians: Let Them Play
Once you've read about how a 110-year old world-renowned and amazingly-talented orchestra has been silenced for nearly a year, then I ask you to write the elected officials in Minnesota to help make a difference.
Congresswoman Betty McCollum - Minnesota 4th (Facebook / Twitter - @BettyMcCollum04)
St. Paul Office
165 Western Avenue North, Suite #17
St. Paul, Minnesota 55102
Phone: (651) 224-9191
Fax: (651) 224-3056
Hours: 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM (Central)
Congressman Keith Ellison - Minnesota 5th (Facebook / Twitter - @KeithEllison)
Minneapolis Office
2100 Plymouth Avenue N
Minneapolis, MN 55411
Phone: (612) 522-1212
Hours: 9 AM to 6 PM Central
Senator Amy Klobuchar (Facebook / Twitter - @amyklobuchar)
TWIN CITIES/METRO
1200 Washington Avenue South, Room 250
Minneapolis, MN 55415
phone: 612-727-5220
fax: 612-727-5223
Senator Al Franken (Facebook / Twitter - @alfranken)
Saint Paul Office
60 East Plato Blvd
Suite 220
Saint Paul, MN 55107
(651) 221-1016
Once you've read how they've already lost 1/4 of their musicians and realize they'll never be the same again, yet you want to save what you can because you believe in saving the arts, then I ask you to please tweet this to everyone you can think of to help. (e.g. @Lawrence @maddow @MaddowBlog @Synergy3k @chrislhayes @edshow @upwithsteve @hardball_chris @hardball @msnbc)
Once you've read how management, who's been paid - and paid well - this last year, has yet to even attempt to bargain in good faith, while the musicians haven't been paid at all, then I strongly urge you to please share this situation on Facebook.
And once you've figured out how upset the patrons in the Twin Cities area are at having lost their longest-lasting and best known and most talented arts organization, at having had it taken from them, I ask you to please imagine how you'd feel if your favorite arts organization - or your favorite sports team - or your favorite restaurant - or your favorite hangout - had been taken from YOU - then I ask you to please consider taking any of the above actions to help spread the word on behalf of the musicians who have - I hope - only TEMPORARILY been silenced.
Help them end this. They want to play. The patrons want them to play.
Let them play!
Be sure to use #SaveMNOrch on Twitter and feel free to copy @SOSMinnesota - a very active patron and donor group working their butts off to save the Minnesota Orchestra. Follow them on Facebook at Save Our Symphony Minnesota.
Heather M. Brown is the author of the blog, Giocosity - a fun blog about classical music. She was also a Neighborhood Team Leader with Obama Campaign for America. You can follow her on Twitter - @rpcvbg (for some political edge) or just for the music with @giocosity.