Detroit Symphony Orchestra musicians say they’ll return to the stage for rehearsal on Thursday.
DSO officials have announced a tentative agreement that would end a bitter six-months-long players’ strike.
Detroit Symphony officials canceled the whole concert season in February, when it seemed like feuding Orchestra players and management just couldn’t agree on a new contract. The two sides had deadlocked for months over issues ranging from pay to musicians’ outside teaching obligations.
But under mounting political pressure and after a marathon weekend bargaining session, the two sides hammered out a tentative work agreement.
Musicians’ union President Gordon Stump wouldn’t talk specifics. An official ratification vote will wrap up on Friday.
Stump says musicians are happy the strike will end even though they’re “not crazy” about parts of the agreement.
“I’m sure the management wasn’t crazy about it either. But most of the things that we had a problem with are gone. In that sense, I think it was a resolution we could all live with.”
Stump says the strike was “a long, protracted struggle, and it’s going to take a long time to heal.”
The strike cost the Orchestra some musicians, including its whole percussion section.
