City Council, Mayor Urge Musicians, Management To Return To Negotiating Table

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – The musicians of the Minnesota Orchestra, which one critic called the "greatest in the world," renewed their offer Friday to meet with management next week.

A press release said the offer comes as the Minneapolis City Council and Mayor R.T. Rybak passed a resolution (13-0) encouraging a return to the negotiating table. The orchestra's Board of Directors plans to meet at 12 p.m. Monday, and the musicians are prepared to talk with management and share their "their deep concerns about the contract proposal."

Tim Zavadil, the chair of the negotiating committee, said that Monday would be a good time for those involved to take Rybak's words seriously.

"Yesterday we urged management not to cancel more concerts, today the City Council urged all sides to sit down and work this out," he said.

The musicians have offered three counter-proposals to management, the press release said. They are (1) to play and talk under the current contract with a no-strike guarantee, (2) to conduct a joint-independent analysis of the orchestra's finances, and (3) to submit a new contract to binding arbitration.

The musicians have been locked out since Oct. 1.