Allegro

Executive Board Minutes

December 7, 1999 -- December 21, 1999

Volume C, No. 2February, 2000

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1999

Meeting called to order at 11:30 a.m. by President Moriarity. Also present: Financial Vice-President Landolfi, Executive Board members Blumenthal, Crow, Giannini, Hafemeister, Rosen, Shankin and Weiss, Controller Bogert and Assistant to the President Dennison. Recording Vice-President Price excused for personal reasons. Bogert took the minutes of the meeting.

Board member Gale present at 11:40 a.m. Simon present at 11:45 a.m.

Nov. 23 and 29 minutes unanimously approved as amended.

Landolfi presented to the board a Summary of Agreement between Local 802 and the Merrick Symphony covering a one-year period. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve.

Moriarity advised the board that a letter of thanks had been received from Sonya Ostrom, unsuccessful candidate for NYC Council, for a donation she had received from TEMPO802.

Moriarity distributed a Memorandum of Agreement between Local 802 and the New York City Ballet (NYCB) relating to a contract covering a three-year period. He explained the agreement’s terms, described the course of negotiations during the past week which led up to it, and indicated that a ratification vote was in progress. Discussion held.

Jazz Advisory Committee Liaison Owens present at 11:50 a.m., during the foregoing discussion.

At 1:15 p.m. a number of members of the NYCB Orchestra appeared before the board with a locked ballot box. The box was opened and the ballots for the ratification vote were counted, indicating that the agreement had been approved by a 43 to 19 vote. The orchestra members were excused and discussion of the agreement resumed.

A motion was made to approve the Memorandum of Agreement, and to stipulate that a letter be sent to the members of the orchestra, from either the Executive Board or the President, regarding the union’s policy not to enforce contract language requiring payment of dues to organizations other than the union as a condition of employment at the NYCB. An amendment to the foregoing motion was made, stipulating that a letter be sent to the Executive Director of the NYCB by the Executive Board requesting modification of the contract language referred to above to eliminate the dues requirement. Motion made and carried unanimously to table the foregoing motions and amendment.

Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the terms and conditions of the Memorandum of Agreement and of the side letter, containing certain minor modifications, which accompanied the Memorandum. In the foregoing, a clear distinction was made between the terms and conditions of the Memorandum of Agreement and of the Master Contract with the NYCB, particularly with respect to the dues payment requirement described above.

Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the October 1999 vouchers. Bogert distributed the vouchers for November 1999.

Dennison reported that by telephone poll of the Executive Board, an expenditure of $43,266 for a newspaper ad relating to the lockout by the NYCB had been approved. Motion made and carried unanimously to affirm the telephone poll.

Director of New Organizing Dubnau and Business Rep Seymour appeared before the board to report on a possible work stoppage at the Millennial Arts production of Messiah due to a strike by AGMA, in which case the musicians in the production will be out of work. Discussion held. Motion made and carried unanimously to provide musicians affected by the AGMA job action strike benefits of $100 per performance, up to a $300 maximum, for those who participate on the picket line, and $50 per performance, up to a $150 maximum, for those who do not.

Meeting adjourned at 2:40 p.m.


TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1999

Meeting called to order at 11:30 a.m. Present: President Moriarity, Recording Vice-President Price, Financial Vice-President Landolfi, Executive Board members Blumenthal, Gale, Rosen, Shankin, Simon and Weiss, Controller Bogert, Assistant to the President Dennison and Jazz Advisory Committee Liaison Owens.

Recording Vice-President Price distributed the Dec. 7 minutes.

Board members Crow, Giannini and Hafemeister present at 11:48 a.m.

A letter that had been sent by President Moriarity to members of the New York City Ballet Orchestra (NYCBO) was distributed to the board for its information.

The Christmas bonus and gratuities list for employees, ancillary staff and assorted service personnel, totaling $9,400, was submitted for approval. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve payment of the bonuses and gratuities.

Financial Vice-President Landolfi presented an agreement with the Peniel Concert Choir. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve.

Motion made and carried unanimously to pay strike benefits of $50 per service, rehearsal or performance to substitute musicians of the NYCBO who had been engaged and missed work due to the lockout, with caps of $300 per musician the first week and $150 the second week.

Moriarity reported that an agreement had been reached with the Hotel Users of Music Committee and would be submitted when the memorandum of agreement is available.

Discussion held on the upcoming board schedule and the need to reserve time for an extra meeting each month to discuss strategic planning. Discussion continued, centering on strategic planning for the union.

Simon excused at 12:10 p.m.

Meeting recessed at 12:55 p.m.

Meeting resumed at 2:20 p.m.

Present: Moriarity, Price, Landolfi, Blumenthal, Crow, Gale, Giannini, Hafemeister, Rosen, Shankin, Simon, Weiss, Bogert, Dennison and Owens.

Controller Bogert reviewed the finances of the strike fund in light of the payouts to NYCBO members during their recent lockout. Discussion held on replenishment of the fund.

Weiss excused at 2:35 p.m.

Discussion held in which each person present expressed a view of the union. Their free-ranging statements included perceptions of present strengths and weaknesses, the need for change, the direction for the future and various means of arriving at solutions for the problems presented.

Crow excused at 4:00 p.m.

Meeting adjourned at 4:45 p.m.


TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1999

Meeting called to order at 11:25 a.m. Present: President Moriarity, Recording Vice-President Price, Financial Vice-President Landolfi, Executive Board members Blumenthal, Crow, Rosen and Shankin, Controller Bogert and Assistant to the President Dennison.

Dec. 14 minutes unanimously approved as amended.

Board member Gale present at 11:30 a.m.

President Moriarity submitted a request from the Metropolitan Opera management on behalf of National Public Radio to record a dress rehearsal of The Great Gatsby. NPR has scheduled a live broadcast of the opera on New Year’s Day. In the event of a Y2K problem with the live transmission, NPR wants to have a tape recording available for possible substitution. Musicians who record the tape and do not play the performance will be paid if the tape is used. Discussion held. Motion made and carried to approve. Opposed: Landolfi.

Board member Giannini present at 11:35 a.m. during the previous discussion. Board member Weiss present at 11:40 a.m.

Local 802 Legislative Director Judy West requested board approval of expenses of $334.50 for her attendance at a Holiday Reception at the White House in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 22, where she will represent Local 802. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve.

West requested board approval of expenses of $299 for attendance at the AFL-CIO Political Director ÒState of the StateÓ Breakfast Meeting in Albany on Jan. 5, 2000. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve.

Controller Bogert distributed the financial statements for October 1999 and for the period January through October, 1999. He reviewed and explained the documents and answered board members’ questions regarding them.

Price reported that Local 802 was a first-place winner in the Union Plus Mortgage and Real Estate Program Promotion, and was awarded a $1,000 check and a plaque signifying the achievement.

Board member Hafemeister present at 11:45 a.m.

Price distributed for the board’s information a report from the Gospel Committee detailing its aims and directions, and enumerating its activities.

Price reported to the board that he had granted the following leaves of absence:

  1. Edward Joffe, from the Broadway production Fosse, from Nov. 16-21, for personal reasons.
  2. Glen Estrin, from the Broadway production Beauty and the Beast, from Nov. 9-Dec. 31, for personal reasons.
  3. Caryl Paisner, from the Broadway production Beauty and the Beast, from Nov. 9-Dec. 5, for personal reasons.
  4. Mitchell Weiss, from the Broadway production Les Miserables, from Nov. 23-28, for personal reasons.
  5. Mark Gross, from the Broadway production Kat and the Kings, from Nov. 23-Dec. 4, to tour Japan with the Duke Ellington Orchestra.
  6. Kenneth J. Dybisz, from the Broadway production Annie Get Your Gun, from Dec. 3-19, to play A Christmas Carol at Madison Square Garden, with the proviso that he not substitute in Annie Get Your Gun during that period.
  7. Alva F. Hunt, from the Broadway production Beauty and the Beast, from Dec. 6-26, to play A Christmas Carol at Madison Square Garden, with the proviso that he not substitute in Beauty and the Beast during that period.
  8. Timothy Malosh, from the Broadway production Miss Saigon, from Nov. 15-Dec. 7, for personal reasons.
  9. David G. Weiss, from the Broadway production The Lion King, from Dec. 1-26, to play A Christmas Carol at Madison Square Garden, with the proviso that he not substitute in The Lion King during that period.
  10. James F. Saporito, from the Broadway production Fosse, from Nov. 30-Dec. 5, for personal reasons.
  11. Marc Goldberg, from the Broadway production Beauty and the Beast, from Dec. 8 through the matinee of Dec. 12, to play with the Boston Symphony Orchestra in Boston and on tour.
  12. Caryl Paisner, from the Broadway production Beauty and the Beast, from Dec. 8-12, for personal reasons.
  13. Ian Stewart, from the Broadway production Saturday Night Fever, from Dec. 6, 1999, through Jan. 30, 2000, for personal reasons.
  14. Samuel Kephart, from the Broadway production Les Miserables, from Dec. 8-12, to perform with the Roanoke Symphony.
  15. Kaitilin Mahony, from the Broadway production The Lion King, from Dec. 10, 1999, through Jan. 2, 2000, to work on chamber music recordings.
  16. Jacqueline Giat, from the Broadway production Les Miserables, from Jan. 18-Feb. 13, for personal reasons.

Jazz Advisory Committee Liaison Owens present at 11:50 a.m.

Discussion held on organizing and general problems in the music industry affecting our members.

Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the November 1999 vouchers.

In anticipation of the scheduled hearing before the board, Financial Vice-President Landolfi reviewed the details of a grievance that had been brought by Local 802 against the Harmonie Ensemble, Inc.

Steven Richman, director of the Harmonie Ensemble, Inc., and member James Stubbs, contractor of the group, appeared before the board in response to a step two grievance brought by Local 802 against the Harmonie Ensemble with regard to a recording that took place during a Nov. 20 concert of the Ensemble at St. George’s Church. Landolfi presented the union’s charges in the matter and Richman and Stubbs responded to the charges.

Richman and Stubbs excused while the board deliberated. During deliberations it was decided to link this charge with additional charges the union was preparing in connection with this recording and to submit them for possible settlement. Richman and Stubbs excused and Moriarity also excused to have a discussion with Richman about settlement of the charges.

Meeting recessed at 1:50 p.m.

Meeting resumed at 2:55 p.m.

Present: Moriarity, Price, Landolfi, Blumenthal, Gale, Hafemeister, Rosen, Shankin, Weiss, Bogert and Dennison.

Moriarity reported that no settlement had been reached with the Harmonie Ensemble.

Business Rep Donovan appeared before the board to present a contract with FBNY Ltd. Partnership for a production of Forbidden Broadway Cleans Up Its Act! Discussion held. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve. Donovan excused.

The Universal Health Care Action Network (UHCAN) requested a contribution for Local 802’s continued membership in the group. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the $250 contribution.

Moriarity brought to the board’s attention a current project of ÒBread and Roses,Ó the cultural arm of 1199, Health and Human Services Employees, SEIU. The project will be to produce calendars featuring painter Ralph Fasanella’s labor-oriented paintings. ÒBread and Roses,Ó which is headed by Moe Foner, requested a contribution to help this work. Motion made and carried unanimously to contribute $100.

Moriarity reported that he had attended a meeting of entertainment unions, called by the Actors’ Fund, that dealt with continuing problems of intermittent health insurance coverage for entertainment industry professionals. The thrust of the meeting was to fund a lobbying effort in Albany to obtain funding from the state budget to fill health insurance gaps for entertainment industry workers. The lobbying effort will cost $48,000. Local 802 would be responsible for part of this, based on our membership numbers as a percent of the entertainment industry work force.

Discussion held on the agreement with the New York City Ballet (NYCB) management.

Weiss excused at 3:50 p.m. during the following discussion.

Member Eric Ramme appeared before the board to discuss the representation of NYCBO substitute musicians at the recent negotiations, and the diminution of work prospects for substitutes as a result of the agreement now in place which mandates more stringent work requirements for the regular orchestra. Discussion held, during which it was pointed out that the thrust of the recent NYCB negotiations, which resulted in a strike, would have been to the benefit of both the substitute musicians and the regular orchestra members.

Meeting adjourned at 4:35 p.m.