There’s still one U.S. orchestra without a new musicians’ contract, and talks seem to have bogged down at the St. Louis Symphony, where the current agreement runs out on January 2. “Management has made one financial proposal to the union. That suffered an ‘overwhelming rejection’ at a union meeting on Nov. 8. Management, according to the memo, has refused to make a counterproposal to the union’s last offer… Management sources, speaking anonymously, have said that given the Symphony’s commitment to a balanced budget, it cannot commit to higher salaries without a larger income. Management’s current proposal would reduce musician salaries, reportedly to $61,000 a year.”