A year-long labor dispute between the Hartford Symphony Orchestra and its musicians has reached a critical point.
According to the HSO, if an agreement on a new contract can't be reached when both sides meet Thursday night, the symphony will be forced to close its doors for good.
In a written statement provided to WNPR, Stephen Collins, the HSO's director of Artistic Operations and Administration wrote:
Unfortunately, we see no alternative but to close the HSO if we can't reach a satisfactory agreement with the AFM that provides a stable financial platform. We have identified and committed to extensive reductions in overhead expenses and increased goals in fundraising that exceed the concessions we seek from the AFM. We are hopeful we can reach an agreement Thursday night and continue to maintain a commitment to good faith bargaining.
Last week, the musicians unanimously rejected management's latest contract proposal, which called for a 40 percent pay cut for core musicians of the symphony, and a "cancelation clause" that would allow management to cancel "all or part of a season if they believe there is a financial reason to do so."
