Met Opera Extends Labor Negotiations as Contracts Expire

Metropolitan Opera management postponed a threatened lockout of employees Thursday night, granting a 72-hour window to continue contract talks at the request of a federal mediator, reports The New York Times.

Allison Beck, a deputy director of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, was brought in at the 11th hour to salvage the contentious negotiations between the Met and the unions representing its orchestra and chorus. The company is seeking to significantly reduce labor costs in deals with 15 unions whose contracts ran out at midnight Thursday.

“If they want to make a deal with us, and we hope to make a deal with them, the next 72 hours should give us ample time to do it,” Peter Gelb, the company’s general manager, said. The Met did reach agreements with three unions representing house staff, call-center employees, and building engineers. Talks with the union representing backstage workers are continuing without mediation.