Organizer Mikael Elsila passed out flyers in front of The Early Ear, Inc., a for-profit music school that introduces music to children beginning at a very young age, while their parents sit beside them.

Last fall musicians who work at The Early Ear chose Local 802 as their representative. Negotiations are under way for a first contract, but by the middle of March, both sides were far apart on basic issues.

However, after parents started reading the union’s flyers and signing a petition supporting musicians, the employer, Dr. Ilya Lehman, asked the union to stop flyering in exchange for him returning to the bargaining table.