Letter to Minnesota Orchestral Association Management and Board

Letter

Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) sent a letter to the Minnesota Orchestral Association Management and Board today asking them to end the current lockout and accept the interim agreement proposed by former Senator George Mitchell to allow the orchestra to play while negotiations continue. The board proposed significant cuts to musician compensation last September. The negotiations between management and the musicians have continued for nearly a year and renowned conductor, Osmo Vänskä, said publicly he will quit if he cannot begin rehearsing with musicians by September 30 to prepare for Carnegie Hall performances this fall. Management has said this timeline would require a deal by Sunday. If the proposal presented by Senator Mitchell is accepted, the orchestra will resume playing while a longer-term deal is negotiated.

The text of the letter is below:

Dear Minnesota Orchestral Association Management and Board:

As someone with a deep love of music and a strong appreciation for the role arts play in the vibrancy of our community, I am writing to respectfully urge you to end the eleven month lockout of the Minnesota Orchestra musicians and accept the interim agreement proposed by former Senator George Mitchell.

The Minnesota Orchestra is a source of great pride for Minnesotans and is one of the institutions that make our state's artistic culture so rich. The lockout is causing serious damage and may lead to the opening of a world-class performance hall without a world-class orchestra to fill it. With a deadline only days away before esteemed conductor Osmo Vänskä has said he would no longer be able to remain with the orchestra, the time is now to resume playing while continuing to work toward a negotiated settlement.

Both management and the musicians have legitimate concerns about the future of the orchestra, which is why a neutral mediator with the skill of Senator Mitchell is so critical to this process. But I was baffled by reports that the board rejected an interim agreement proposed by Senator Mitchell to negotiate for four months, with a reduction in salary for the musicians after two months. Without a formal negotiation process in place that ends the lockout and does not overly favor one side, the orchestra risks the loss of additional musicians who cannot afford to continue without pay, and now, the potential loss of its conductor.

I sincerely hope that you accept Senator Mitchell's proposal and move forward with a mediation process that can help preserve the asset we all cherish.

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