“The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra musicians’ strike goes on, but there is a plan in place for both sides to get back to the bargaining table,” writes David Kaplan on Sunday (10/23) at WTAE-TV (Pittsburgh). “Musicians say there are three key items that led to the strike; management requesting they take a 15-percent pay cut, changes to pensions, and a freeze on three openings. The musicians say the PSO is overstating its financial issues, that there’s plenty of money and its financial health is fine. Management has called the situation ‘dire’ and says the cuts it’s asking musicians to take are necessary. Both sides have agreed for an independent actuary to come in and look at the numbers. The hope is that a report will be compiled by mid to late week, and that will be the basis for the two sides to get back together. ‘It’s nonbinding, but still, just having someone from the outside looking at this objectively is going to help, I think, move us forward with the negotiations,’ said Micah Howard, a musician with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and a spokesman for their union. In the meantime, musicians are continuing to play small concerts across Pittsburgh.”
Posted October 25, 2016
