Tentative agreement reached between Chicago Symphony management and musicians

September 25, 2012 at 2:05 AM

Good news: the Chicago Symphony Orchestra musicians and management appear to have reached an agreement, according to both the CSO Musicians Facebook page and to the Chicago Tribune. According to the Trib, it's a three-year contract, and ratification is pending. Negotiations began at 2 p.m. today, and the tentative agreement was reached at about 6:45 p.m. Assuming they ratify the agreement when they meet tomorrow at 9 a.m., the planned shows will go on, including subscription concerts on Wednesday and Friday, a Symphony Ball fundraiser on Saturday and a run-out concert to Ann Arbor, Mich., on Thursday. Also, the orchestra's early-October tour to New York's Carnegie Hall and Mexico will go on as planned.

Here's that Chicago Trib article, it has a nice video short with longtime Chicago classical music writer John von Rhein about "why we should care." (It can be tricky to link to the Chicago Trib, but this seems to have worked)

http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/chi-chicago-symphony-orchestra-contract-talks-resume-monday-20120924,0,3929004.story

From Paul Deck
Posted on September 25, 2012 at 1:09 PM

I'm glad one of the world's most celebrated orchestras and their professional management were able to work through the almost impenetrable wall ostensibly caused by $1260 in annual health care costs.

If the City of Chicago provides any financial support whatsoever to CSO, they should make that support conditional on complete, open publishing of the entirety of the orchestra's financial records, including the salaries and fringe benefits of every employee.

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