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The contract negotiations, the most contentious at the Met
since a lockout in 1980, had been suspended for a week while an
independent analyst studied the Met's finances. Its previous
labor contracts expired July 31.
The analyst's review is "nearing its completion," the Federal
Mediation and Conciliation Service said in a statement on
Monday, adding that the Met had agreed to extend its deadline to
Sunday, Aug. 17.
The Met had agreed to postpone the July 31 deadline for 72 hours
after a federal mediator joined talks with two of the largest
unions, representing the orchestra and the chorus, at the 11th
hour. It then extended the lockout deadline for "approximately
one week" that same weekend.
The Met, which is the largest performing arts organization in
the United States, has said it will lock out its orchestra,
chorus, stagehands and other employees if new agreements cannot
be reached. A lockout could derail the new opera season, which
is set to open next month.
Peter Gelb, the Met's general manager, has said its performers
must accept a cut to the cost of their package of about 16
percent if the company is to survive waning interest in opera.
Some of the unions have argued that Gelb should instead spend
less money on expensive new productions.
The Met said in a statement it was "looking forward" to resuming
talks. It reached new agreements with three of its smaller
unions this month.
Local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians, which
represents the orchestra, and the American Guild of Musical
Artists, which represents the chorus, said in a joint statement
they planned to "continue to bargain in good faith."
(Reporting by Jonathan Allen; Editing by Peter Galloway and Jim
Loney)
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