Talks Continue in Orchestra Dispute

A week after the Louisville Orchestra management threatened to replace musicians who had not agreed to a final contract offer, talks have resumed.Mediator Henri Mangeot says a new offer has been extended to the musicians. The players are considering it and another meeting is set for tomorrow evening.Mangeot declined to give details of the offer, but he says it's a modified version of an earlier proposal that would sign a large orchestra immediately but then cut the number of players over time to a size management says is affordable—55 in the last offer.Last week, the talks broke down when the musicians declined to accept an offer by the management’s deadline. Orchestra management promised to seek replacement players, though CEO Robert Birman said that could be done concurrently with contract talks with the current musicians.Mayor Greg Fischer previously secured a private grant to hire nationally-known labor consultant Ralph Craviso for the talks. Fischer’s chief of staff is now working with Mangeot and both sides.