Tony Woodcock, the president of the orchestra, told the paper that he expected a settlement to be reached, and added that discussions were "warm" and "constructive. "
"If it doesn't sound too contradictory, I actually enjoy the meetings," he said.
According to the Star Tribune, the main issues on the table are pay and health insurance. Musicians accepted a pay freeze for 2002-03 and got a 3 percent salary increase in 2003-04 to a minimum of $91,052. Rollins would not reveal the details of offers from either side, but told the paper that management was not seeking a pay cut.
Musicians at the Philadelphia Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, and Cincinnati Symphony are also currently playing under contract extensions.