The New York City Opera and the American Guild of Musical Artists and American Federation of Musicians have reached a stalemate in negotiations. The two unions, which represent opera performers and musicians, say that they have voted to authorize strikes, and that they are planning to file unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor relations Board over changes to worker rules. The Opera says that it needs to change the way it pays performers due to financial difficulties. The new season is supposed to begin on February 12.
See "New York City Opera talks with unions end in stalemate", BBC News Online, December 1, 2011