Allegro

Executive Board Minutes

January 9, 2001 -- January 23, 2001

Volume CI, No. 3March, 2001

TUESDAY, JANUARY 9, 2001

Meeting called to order at 11:20 a.m. Present: President Moriarity, Recording Vice-President Price, Financial Vice-President Hafemeister, Executive Board members Blumenthal, Gale, Giannini, Landolfi, Rohdin, Shankin and Weiss, Controller Bogert, Assistant to the President Dennison, Assistant Director Lennon.

AFM President Steve Young appeared before the board to administer the oath of office to the elected officers and Executive Board. He then made a brief report on the upcoming AFM meeting in Los Angeles that will focus on nonunion film scoring and nonunion phonograph dates. He also reported on the strike situation in Florida and noted that SFX is using recorded music on a theatrical tour. (See Jan. 2 minutes.) After his report, Young was thanked and he then withdrew.

Board member Reynolds present at 11:30 a.m. during the previous report. Board member Crow present at 11:35 a.m.

Jan. 2 minutes unanimously approved as amended.

Controller Bogert distributed and reviewed the financial reports for November 2000. He distributed the vouchers for December 2000.

Assistant Director Lennon submitted an agreement with the American Symphony Orchestra (ASO) on behalf of the estate of Wen-Yuan Chen for an archival recording. An official of the estate will become signatory to the Local 802 Non-Theatrical Archival Recording Agreement and the ASO will provide the estate with a copy of the recording. The ASO will assume full responsibility for the use and/or misuse of the tape in accordance with the agreement. Discussion held. Motion made and carried unanimously to affirm the telephone poll in which the board voted to permit the agreement outlined above, subject to approval by the orchestra, which also voted in the affirmative.

President Moriarity submitted an agreement with Susan Martin, legal counsel for the Metropolitan Opera musicians in the negotiations now under way with respect to the pension study and reopener. The fee is $15,000, to be paid in three installments of $5,000 each: in December 2000, January 2001 and February 2001. This fee was to be paid by Local 802 Legal Services Fund, and other expenses incurred will be paid by the Metropolitan Musicians’ Committee. Discussion held. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the agreement, with the text to be changed to reflect the involvement of Local 802, as well as the Musicians’ Committee, in the process.

Discussion held on requests from various bargaining units for legal fees for legal counsel representing these units in negotiations. Discussion held on a request by the NYC Opera musicians for increased funding that was above the limit the bylaws impose.

Moriarity submitted a recommendation from Allegro editor Joy Portugal for a merit increase for an employee under her supervision. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve.

Moriarity advised the board that the NYS Conference of Musicians will be held in Schenectady, N.Y., on March 23-25.

Meeting recessed at 1:00 p.m.

Meeting resumed at 2:15 p.m.

Present: Moriarity, Price, Hafemeister, Blumenthal, Crow, Gale, Giannini, Landolfi, Reynolds, Rohdin, Shankin, Weiss, Bogert, Dennison and Lennon.

The board devoted the rest of the meeting to strategic planning.

Shankin excused at 3:10 p.m. Crow excused at 3:55 p.m.

The next strategic planning session is tentatively set for Thursday, Feb. 8, at 10 a.m. at the AFM-Employers Pension Fund board room with Ken Margolies, facilitator, in attendance.

A request was submitted by NYC Councilmember Christine Quinn for Local 802’s endorsement of her re-election to the NYC Council. Motion made and carried unanimously to endorse Christine Quinn for re-election to the NYC Council.

Meeting adjourned at 4:15 p.m.


TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2001

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

President Moriarity advised the board that the Joint Cooperative Committee of the Alliance of Motion Picture Producers and the AFM would meet in Los Angeles on Jan. 17, and that Assistant Supervisor Schaffner would be attending that meeting. He noted that Director of New Organizing Dubnau, Assistant to the President Dennison and Recording Vice-President Price, along with Schaffner, would be attending the nonunion film scoring meeting in Los Angeles on Jan. 18.

Jazz Advisory Committee Liaison Owens present at 11:35 a.m. during the previous report.

Discussion held on phonograph sessions that are not filed (dark dates).

Jan. 9 minutes unanimously approved as amended.

Financial Vice-President Hafemeister reported that facilitator Ken Margolies will not be available on Feb. 8, a date selected for a possible strategic planning session. Hafemeister was requested to find an acceptable date to schedule a strategic planning session.

Price submitted a request for a leave of absence from a Broadway musician from The Full Monty to perform in the limited run of Follies. Such a leave up to a period of 30 weeks is permitted in accordance with Local 802 bylaw, Article IX, Subdivision 4, Rule 15(B), which states “For purposes of this bylaw, a Broadway show shall be defined as a production done under a Local 802 Broadway agreement (with the exception of a limited engagement of thirty weeks or less).” In the event the limited run is extended beyond 30 weeks, he must choose at that time to either remain with Follies or return to The Full Monty, where he has the run of the show. A further policy discussion was held on rules for leaves of absence.

Board member Weiss present at 12:35 p.m. during the previous discussion.

Price advised the board that the union had been notified that Trans-America Insurance Co. will stop insuring musicians’ unions effective midnight, March 1, due to decreasing enrollment and an increasing volume of death claims. The broker, Insurance Administration Services, Inc. (IAS), notified Local 802 that since they have no other insurance carrier IAS will no longer be able to provide coverage after Feb. 28. Discussion held on conducting a search for another company, or the possibility that the union might pay the benefits. The board also instructed Price to contact insurance broker Janet White for help in locating possible coverage by another insurance company.

Price introduced and read a memo from building supervisor Jaffe detailing the results of his negotiations to switch back to telephone service from Verizon (formerly Bell Atlantic) from MCI WorldCom. Discussion held during which Price was instructed to ask Jaffe to contact AT&T about possible service and also to contact a telephone consultant to be recommended by Brian Weld, Local 802’s real estate consultant.

Meeting recessed at 1:00 p.m.

Meeting resumed at 2:05 p.m.

Present: Moriarity, Price, Hafemeister, Blumenthal, Crow, Gale, Giannini, Landolfi, Reynolds, Rohdin, Shankin, Weiss, Bogert, Dennison, Lennon and Owens.

Recording Vice-President Price reported to the board that he had granted the following leaves of absence:

  1. Anthony Cecere, from the Broadway production Beauty and the Beast, from Jan. 3-28, to perform with the New Jersey Symphony and the Metropolitan Opera orchestra, with the proviso that he not substitute in Beauty and the Beast during that period.
  2. Norman Weiss, from the Broadway production The Phantom of the Opera, from Jan. 25-Feb. 17, for personal reasons.
  3. Stephanie Cummins, from the Broadway production Seussical, from Jan. 30-Feb. 14, to perform with the San Francisco Ballet, with the proviso that she not substitute in Seussical during that period.
  4. Clinton de Ganon, from the Broadway production The Rocky Horror Show, from Jan. 12-13 and from Jan. 19 until the Jan. 21 matinee, to work out of town.
  5. Glen Kelly, from the Broadway production Beauty and the Beast, from Feb. 27-May 1, to work as music supervisor of The Producers, with the proviso that he not perform in Beauty and the Beast during that period.
  6. Robert Millikan, from the Broadway production The Full Monty, from Feb. 16-July 29, to play the limited run of Follies, with the proviso that he not substitute in The Full Monty during that period.

In view of the insurance cancellation, Controller Bogert reviewed the demographics of Local 802 membership as they affect the death benefit. Discussion held. Motion made and carried unanimously to engage an actuary to make a report to the board on membership demographics.

A discussion was held on the Queens Symphony. Assistant Director Lennon reviewed the orchestra’s previous request for archival recording.

Member-contractor of the Queens Symphony Abba Bogin, Executive Director Sophia Foglia and Linda Herndon appeared before the board, and Ms. Foglia made a presentation on the Queens Symphony’s plans to increase the audiences for their concerts. Local 802 was asked to grant three requests: 1) That students from the Brooklyn-Queens Conservatory be permitted to perform in the lobby during the intermission of the MPTF Duke Ellington concert on Feb. 13 at York College; 2) That Time Warner Cable be permitted to present a 30-second Public Service Announcement on QBTV; and 3) That the orchestra be permitted to audio/videotape the MPTF Ellington young people’s concert for fundraising purposes. After the presentation Bogin, Foglia and Herndon were excused while the board deliberated. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the first request, with the proviso that the orchestra committee’s approval is confirmed. The orchestra committee has not taken a position on requests 2 and 3, and the union will consult with the committee before making a recommendation. It was noted that orchestra management had failed to submit previous recording tapes to the union in 1998 and 2000, as per the agreement.

Bogin, Foglia and Herndon returned and were informed of the result of the board’s deliberations. Moriarity also informed them that any future business must go through the Concert Department, now under direction of Assistant Director Lennon, rather than the Executive Board. Bogin, Foglia and Herndon excused.

Moriarity reported on a meeting of the NYS Federation of Labor Entertainment Industry Council. The group had discussed the SFX theatre strike situation in Florida, and Moriarity noted that Alan Eisenberg, Executive Director of Actors’ Equity, would entertain a request by AFM President Steve Young to have the actors honor the picket line at the struck theatres.

Moriarity requested the board’s permission to go to Washington, D.C., to seek input and advice on theater negotiations from AFM legal counsel George Cohen. Discussion held on negotiations with the League in 2003.

Crow excused at 4:00 p.m.

Motion made and carried unanimously that Abe Rosen, former Executive Board member, be appointed in accordance with Local 802 bylaws as delegate to the Hebrew Trades Council.

Jazz Advisory Committee Liaison Owens advised the board of the National Endowment of the Arts study of jazz artists in San Francisco, Kansas City, New Orleans and New York. Moriarity reported that negotiations for Jazz at Lincoln Center, Inc. had been scheduled for Jan. 9.

Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the December 2000 vouchers.

Meeting adjourned at 4:20 p.m.


TUESDAY, JANUARY 23, 2001

Meeting called to order at 11:35 a.m. by President Moriarity. Also present were: Financial Vice-President Hafemeister; Executive Board members Blumenthal, Gale, Giannini, Landolfi, Reynolds, Shankin and Weiss; Controller Bogert and Assistant Director Lennon. Recording Vice-President Price was excused for medical reasons. Bogert took the minutes of the meeting.

Moriarity reported that he had received a letter from the Lindsay for Legislature campaign thanking TEMPO802 for its contribution.

Moriarity reported on a meeting of the AFL-CIO Housing Investment Trust which he recently attended, relating to affordable housing.

Moriarity reported on his recent trip to Albany during which he met with four state legislators to promote night-club tax relief to provide benefits to performers, particularly jazz musicians.

Board member Crow present at 11:40 a.m., during the preceding reports.

Moriarity presented a proposal that retired Executive Board member Abe Rosen be appointed to represent Local 802 in the Senior Action Council, a labor organization affiliated with the New York City Central Labor Council which enlists senior union members in organizing and legislative campaigns. In return for such service, Rosen would be provided Plan A health benefits. Motion made and carried unanimously to accept.

Lennon presented a letter agreement between Local 802 and the New York Chamber Symphony permitting submission of an archival recording to representatives of the Pulitzer Prize on behalf of Henri Lazarof. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve.

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

Hafemeister presented a number of dates on which Ken Margolies, facilitator for the Strategic Planning effort, would be available to meet with the board. Friday, March 2, was the date found most acceptable to the board.

Three individuals (the Producers) representing a production of the play The Double Bass, which will appear at the Mint Theatre in association with The Working Theatre, appeared before the board. In view of the play’s content, as evidenced by its title, they requested support from Local 802 for the production. Discussion held, after which the producers were excused.

Further discussion held, during which the following proposals were made: That the producers be granted controlled access to the Local 802 membership list of double bass players for purposes of a mailing; That Local 802 members be granted a $5 ticket discount for the run of the show; That flyers provided by the Producers be made available at the Recording checks window; That a no-cost ad in Allegro would be run; That the union and the Producers would work together on the concept of a “bass night,” provided that bass players were able to attend for free on that night. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the preceding proposals.

The Producers rejoined the meeting and were advised of the board’s proposals. After discussion, they were excused.

New Organizing Director Dubnau appeared before the board to present a tour agreement between Local 802 and the Riverside Symphony. Discussion held. Motion to approve made and passed. Opposed: Blumenthal, Landolfi and Shankin.

Reynolds excused at 1:15 p.m.

Giannini excused at 1:30 p.m.

Meeting adjourned at 1:40 p.m.