Symphony Board OKs Arbitration : Musicians Still Considering Proposal After Mayor Suggests Binding Talks

At the urging of Mayor Maureen O’Connor, the San Diego Symphony board of directors voted Thursday to accept binding arbitration in hopes of breaking a labor deadlock that threatens the existence of the orchestra, sources close to the negotiations said.

The vote by symphony management was the first glimmer of hope in the standoff with musicians. It comes one day after each side met separately with O’Connor, who advocated that they submit their differences to binding arbitration before William McGill, former president of Columbia University and former chancellor of UC San Diego.

The musicians’ negotiating committee met Thursday evening to consider O’Connor’s proposal, but a source familiar with the talks said they appeared inclined to reject it. However, no decision was expected until today, the source said.

Though he tried to downplay the significance of Thursday’s developments, mayoral press secretary Paul Downey conceded that today could be a “pivotal” day in the future of the orchestra.

Herbert J. Solomon, president of the symphony board, said: “We’re not in a position to make a statement until Friday morning.”

O’Connor became involved in the dispute after the symphony board voted Monday to sever relations with its musicians, who were locked out in September after their contract expired. The musicians refused to accept a new contract that called for a 15% cut in pay and additional artistic concessions.

In her State of the City address Tuesday, O’Connor said she wants to restore the “sound of music” to San Diego in time for the summer pops concerts at Mission Bay.

By Wednesday, O’Connor called both sides into separate meetings at her City Hall office. Solomon and symphony Executive Director Wesley O. Brustad met with the mayor for about an hour and 20 minutes. Also present was Councilman Ed Struiksma, who was acting mayor during the last symphony crisis, and George Gildred, a member of the prominent San Diego family that owned the Fox Theatre before it was purchased by the symphony as a concert hall, a source said.

After that meeting, O’Connor huddled with members of the musicians’ negotiating committee, including chairman Gregory Berton. The second meeting took about an hour.

During the meetings, the source said, O’Connor pitched the idea that both sides submit to binding arbitration. Arbitration would cover all aspects of a new contract, including such artistic considerations as how auditions would be conducted and how musicians could be fired.

The symphony board convened a meeting at midday Thursday and voted to go along with O’Connor’s plan.

“I’m encouraged with the progress that was made with management today,” Gildred said. “I know that the mayor is working diligently with labor. Everyone is working very, very hard at this point.”

Lynn Johnson, regional representative of the American Federation of Musicians, said Thursday that the orchestra’s negotiating committee also was working hard.

“We have been meeting for two days and deliberating very carefully,” said Johnson, who traveled to San Diego from Los Angeles to assist in the deliberations. She said the committee met between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. Wednesday, and reconvened at 10 a.m. Thursday before breaking up about 5:30 p.m.

O’Connor’s office placed numerous phone calls to both sides during the day to help shepherd the talks, the source said.

Both sides are facing a deadline of sorts because O’Connor is scheduled to go to Washington next week. Downey said the mayor will leave Sunday and return Friday, but will remain in touch with the situation by phone.

Downey also said O’Connor will meet with Struiksma, City Manager John Lockwood and City Atty. John Witt after her return to see whether the City Council is still bound to give the symphony $500,000 July 1.

The amount was part of a $1.5-million commitment that the council pledged last year during the symphony’s last fiscal crisis to help pay for its concert hall, at 7th Avenue and B Street.