My favorite ever library typo was when Purcell’s Gordion Knot Untied was listed as Gordion Knot UNITED. How easy is it to make that mistake? Seriously though it might be that easy to conceptualize that by agreeing to something that is binding might indeed unbind an acrimonious situation. What the DSO musicians are proposing proves once again that artists by nature are creative and are also the greatest of problem solvers, and whatever happens kudos should be given for creativity, bravery and at least a plan!
I went to hear Temple Grandin speak recently, and as a father of a child on the Autism spectrum it was truly inspirational in so many ways. One thing in particular that struck me about her work is that she designs her cattle systems by getting on her hands and knees to see things from the animal’s perspective. It is the proverbial putting yourself in someone else s shoes (hoofs in this case!) to work out what is fair and most importantly humane!
Eventually the resolution to any dispute if parties are supposed to continue a relationship is that both sides need to be satisfied that the issues are behind them, not still with them, and trust needs to built again. If this isn’t achieved then moving forward, onwards or upwards will be nearly impossible. The musicians in Detroit have really stepped up to actually put themselves in the shoes of the management and have thrown themselves to the mercy of fairness. The arguing is well and truly over, the lines have been drawn, the forts have been fortified, and the last thing that can be negotiated now is peace.
Their suggestion of binding arbitration in this case should be examined as a potential model for future contract negotiations, when the point of impasse has been reached. That would seem obvious and I know has been implemented as part of grievance procedures, but perhaps it should be for the actual contract itself. Now of course the right to strike is important to consider also, but as long as these agreements have an expiration, binding arbitration in itself is not binding for all future agreements since it in itself can be negotiated in or out of any contract. A compromise could be to articulate it as an optional process in any agreement.
With hundreds (thousands if you count the public, which we should always) of combined personal feelings, hurt everywhere, this is an attempt to solve the dispute as an institution moving forward as one taking into consideration all constituents.
The shift now for all of us watching with this proposal on the table has in my opinion moved from us taking sides and watching it burn to the ground, to us hoping it will work. The musicians have already made a move to the center by agreeing to return to work with the concessions in place temporarily, so they aren’t just offering an olive branch, they are willing to plant the tree!
Kudos to the DSO musicians, this plan is simple, brilliant, fair, it should happen and soon!
I think the organizational rules for non-profits in the US need to be changed to encourage turnover if some part of the delicate balance that enables these organizations to stay solvent isn’t maintained. We the lower level employees can be booted by complicated termination procedures. There is no procedure or term limit for the boards of Directors, arts management, or artistic leadership positions. This prevents evolution in anyway other than organizational suicide. ICSOM (not the League of American Symphony Orchestras!) should come up with some evolutionary guidelines that are accounting/math-oriented. If your earned income is below a certain percentage of your budget, you need to examine this or this or this. lf your Board of Directors contribution falls below this, you should hire a motivational speaker. If nobody has tried a new idea in this many years, you should have a retreat (oh wait, I think we did that).