Chicago Symphony Musicians Continue Strike Over Wages, Pension
CHICAGO (AP) -- More than 100 Chicago Symphony musicians are picketing in shifts in front of the orchestra's historic downtown building as they strike over wages and retirement benefits.
Congressmen, mayoral candidates, musical theater performers and the musicians' own maestro, Riccardo Muti have visited the picket line offering support since the strike started March 11.
No future negotiation sessions are planned. The sides have taken a break in discussions.
About 100 of the orchestra's musicians have organized themselves into three-hour shifts of about a dozen picketers at a time. They march from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
Symphony officials have canceled 17 concerts through Monday.
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The last time Chicago symphony musicians went on strike was for two days in September 2012 over wages and health care costs. Musicians also picketed for about two weeks in 1991.
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