Negotiations Finally Begin with LCSO

After months of refusing to negotiate the very changes in the Master Agreement between Las Colinas Symhony Orchestra (LCSO) and Local 72-147 requested by the LCSO initially in April 2019, LCSO Management finally agreed to meet with the Union on October 30 nearly three weeks after the Union forwarded a proposal to Management to settle all disputes. This was an effort to end a lockout created by Management’s refusal to acknowledge the signed contracts of the Winds, Brass, Percussion, Harp and Keyboard (WBPHK) players last September.

At the October 30 meeting, Management made a verbal counter proposal to the Union’s offer, but fell short of honoring these musicians’ signed contracts.

Following this meeting, the Union delivered a counter proposal to Management on 1 November.

In the subsequent meeting which took place on November 7, Management failed provide a counter proposal for settlement. However, the parties were able to come to an agreement which would begin putting WBPHK back to work prior to the resolution of two disputes which have been referred to arbitration, and multiple Unfair Labor Practice charges made by the Union to the National Labor Relations Board (see page).

The agreement did not resolve any disputes or settle the lockout, but served as a stopgap measure to put locked out musicians back on the stage. Contracts were issued to WBPHK musicians for services for the December & April concert series and some Young People’s Concerts services. There was no guarantee as to who would receive offers or how many services would be offered.

Management would agree to dates for future negotiation sessions, but only for one hour a month from early December 2019 to mid-May 2020. The next negotiation meeting is scheduled for December 5.

A decision is expected soon from the arbitration regarding the dismissal of Principal Timpanist and former Chair of the Players Committee Jon Lee in the coming weeks, and the hearing for the arbitration regarding the contracts for all the musicians who were locked out will be held in mid-December. In addition, the National Labor Relations Board is currently investigating six Unfair Labor Charges filed by Local 72-147.