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St. Louis Symphony Orchestra negotiators reach agreement with musicians that would end strike

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

ST. LOUIS – The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra reached a tentative agreement with its musicians that would end an eight-week strike.Details of the deal, which must be approved by musicians, were not released. The announcement late Thursday by Symphony Society president Randy Adams came hours after the National Labor Relations Board’s local chief had said his office would seek a court injunction to end the work stoppage.”I’m relieved,” said Jan Gippo, the instrumentalists’ negotiating committee chairman. “It was tough. I believe that it’s the best deal we can do.”Musicians were being notified of the contract terms by mail, and their ballots are to be counted on Tuesday, Gippo said. Performances could resume March 4.The orchestra, which dates to 1880 and is the nation’s second oldest, has been shut down since Jan. 3. Musicians had voted 85-3 against a four-year contract offer, saying it didn’t give them the raise they deserved.The work stoppage is the orchestra’s first since a six-week strike in 1979. Eighteen subscription concerts, including three this weekend, have been canceled.Local NLRB official Ralph Tremain had said he would recommend to the agency’s general counsel that injunction be sought if the walkout continued. He said he also expected to issue a complaint against the union for failing to file a required notice before the old contract expired.


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