YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The contract between the managerial board of the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra and its musicians expired at midnight Sunday without a new contract in place.
Neither the Youngstown Symphony Society nor the union that represents its players – American Federation of Musicians Local 86-242 – released statements Monday regarding the status of contract negotiations.
The symphony society has yet to release its schedule for the 2025-26 concert season, which it typically does in the middle of summer. In a statement released Aug. 25, it said that announcements regarding the upcoming season and the hiring of a music director will be made if an agreement is reached with the musicians. The YSO has been without a music director-conductor since 2020, relying instead on guest conductors.
The Facebook group Youngstown Symphony Orchestra Musicians on Monday posted a letter decrying the symphony society’s inaction regarding contract talks.
It reads, in part, “… without a single negotiation session ever being scheduled, we now find ourselves locked out of the work we’ve dedicated our lives to.
“And until the Youngstown Symphony Society honors its obligation to bargain in good faith, these artists will continue to stand … for the dignity of every worker who deserves respect at the negotiating table.”