Eastern Music Festival dispute heads to National Labor Relations Board

The union representing the faculty musicians of the Eastern Music Festival is filing an unfair labor practice complaint with the National Labor Relations Board.

Last week EMF’s board announced the cancelation of this summer’s event. The long-running classical music festival and education program was put on hiatus after failing to reach a contract agreement.

John Shaw is a percussionist and a member of the faculty’s committee that has been negotiating with EMF’s board.

He says the complaint filed with the labor board argues that the festival must maintain the status quo as negotiations between the two sides continue. That would include going on with this year’s festival as planned.

"If we reached an agreement, especially if we reached one quickly, there's still time," he says. "There's a lot of work to do, but we're willing to put in that work, and I think that we could successfully pull it off."

Festival Executive Director Chris Williams says it’s too late to do what’s needed by the summer. He wants both sides to continue seeking a solution that best fits the musicians, the festival and the students.

"Their understanding of status quo, I believe, is different than ours," he says. "And that's what the negotiating table is for. That's what we're trying to do, is to find a mutual agreement that works for everyone."

Part of the disagreement is over the number of professional musicians involved. 

Williams says it might be necessary to reduce the faculty size to keep the festival sustainable.

The musicians and a group of long-time patrons say such a move would fundamentally change the way the festival is intended to operate.