Street intervened in the labor dispute on October 20, when an extension to the musicians' contract was due to expire. At that point, he convinced both sides to accept a 10-day extension and promised to involve himself in talks. After the second extension expired on October 31, musicians and management agreed to "stop the clock" and continue to negotiate.

The Philadelphia Orchestra last endured a strike in 1996, in a bitter dispute that ended only when then-mayor Ed Rendell created a commission to investigate the ensemble's finances.