Allegro

Executive Board Minutes

May 2, 2000 -- May 16, 2000

Volume C, No. 7/8July, 2000

TUESDAY, MAY 2, 2000

Meeting called to order at 11:30 a.m. Present: President Moriarity, Recording Vice-President Price, Executive Board members Blumenthal, Crow, Gale, Giannini, Hafemeister, Rosen, Shankin and Weiss, Controller Bogert, Assistant to the President Dennison.

Board member Blumenthal reported on the AFM Symphonic Media/Internet committee negotiations. He indicated that there will be Local Internet Oversight Committees (LIOC) in each orchestra which becomes signatory. These player/management committees will have a certain amount of autonomy in reaching mutual agreement for any internet use. The AFM master agreement, when signed, will govern, but the local orchestras and managements can work within those parameters. The agreement will include terms and conditions for streaming and downloading programs on the internet. Blumenthal indicated that negotiations would be concluding this afternoon.

Long Island Supervisor Gulluscio appeared before the board with an agreement with the Gateway Playhouse, now located in Patchogue, Long Island. He discussed the terms, which include a substantial wage increase and a pension commitment for the second year. Motion made and carried to approve. Opposed: Hafemeister.

Moriarity reported that the early negotiations with Metropolitan Opera management had concluded with a mutual agreement. He outlined the terms and conditions, so that the board could make a proper assessment of the contract. Discussion followed. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the agreement, subject to ratification of the orchestra.

Jazz Advisory Committee Liaison Owens present at 11:58 a.m. and board member Simon present at 12:05 p.m. during the previous discussion.

Recording Vice-President Price submitted for the board’s concurrence a CAC grant of $3,500 to the RMA toward the ongoing advertising program in film magazines. Motion made and carried unanimously to concur with the CAC.

Gale and Giannini excused at 12:37 p.m.

April 25 minutes unanimously approved as amended.

Moriarity reported on his discussion with a facilitator who is willing to help in the strategic planning process. Discussion held on that process.

Price requested a contribution to ACORN, the organization which recently held a dinner in honor of Ed Ott, NYC Central Labor Council political director. Motion made and carried unanimously to donate $100 to ACORN.

Meeting recessed and then adjourned at 1:15 p.m. for lack of a quorum available for the afternoon session.


TUESDAY, MAY 9, 2000

Meeting called to order at 11:30 a.m. Present: President Moriarity, Executive Board members Blumenthal, Crow, Gale, Giannini, Hafemeister, Rosen, Shankin and Simon, Controller Bogert, Assistant to the President Dennison and Jazz Advisory Committee Liaison Owens. Recording Vice-President Price excused due to illness. Bogert took minutes of the meeting.

Moriarity distributed, in draft, an Executive Board report on the bylaw resolution submitted for the June membership meeting that would eliminate slate designations on ballots for election of officers. Discussion held.

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

Motion made and carried unanimously to remove from the table the motion tabled at the April 25 Executive Board meeting, to report the bylaw resolution unfavorably. Motion made and carried unanimously to call the question of the motion to report the bylaw resolution unfavorably. Motion defeated unanimously to report the bylaw resolution unfavorably

Motion made to report the bylaw resolution as follows: “The board reports this resolution ‘without comment.’ Board discussion on the bylaw amendment indicated that the board was unfavorable but not unanimous in that opinion. The board preferred to hear discussion on this resolution at the bylaw meeting.” Discussion held. The foregoing motion carried unanimously.

Moriarity reported on the telephone discussion he had with Prof. Gerald Simon, who has extensive experience as a facilitator for corporate and nonprofit strategic planning. Simon is the brother of board member Richard Simon. The discussion concerned Gerald Simon’s possible retention as a facilitator in the union’s strategic planning activities. Discussion held. It was agreed that Moriarity would make appropriate travel arrangements for Mr. Simon to meet with the board.

Moriarity distributed for the board’s information lists of signatories to the Demo Recording and Limited Pressing agreements.

Moriarity distributed packets of information relating to the musical The Seussical.

Senior Business Reps Donovan and Lennon present at 12:15 p.m.

In accordance with the strategic planning process put in place by the board at its April 25 meeting, Dennison distributed materials and presented the Theatre Department’s report on its area of responsibility. Discussion held.

Meeting recessed at 1:00 p.m.

Meeting resumed at 2:15 p.m. Present: Moriarity, Blumenthal, Giannini, Hafemeister, Rosen, Shankin, Simon, Weiss, Bogert, Dennison, Owens, Donovan and Lennon.

Discussion held on The Seussical (see above), relating to whether the production qualifies for treatment as a special situation, and to the subject of theatre minimums generally.

Crow present at 2:20 p.m. and Gale present at 2:30 p.m. during the foregoing discussion. Moriarity excused at 2:55 p.m. during the foregoing discussion to attend to union business. Crow chaired the remainder of the meeting.

Motion made to reject the producers’ request to treat The Seussical as a special situation. Discussion held. The foregoing motion carried unanimously.

Lennon reported on a dress rehearsal of Evita that he and Dennison were to attend at the New York Technical College on May 9, utilizing a “virtual orchestra.” Discussion held. Lennon excused at 3:00 p.m.

Blumenthal reported on a tentative agreement reached in the AFM Symphonic Media/Internet committee negotiations (see May 2 minutes).

Donovan distributed an agreement with Lincoln Center for a production of South Pacific at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre. Discussion held. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve.

Donovan distributed a workshop agreement with The Success, L.P., for a production of Sweet Smell of Success at the Ford Theatre. Discussion held. Motion made and carried to approve the agreement. Hafemeister opposed.

Supervisor of New Organizing Dubnau and Senior Organizer Elsila present at 3:30 p.m.

Donovan discussed the need to revitalize a committee of Off-Broadway musicians and reported that a meeting was scheduled for May 17 for that purpose. Donovan excused at 3:40 p.m.

Elsila reported on a strike of UAW workers at the Museum of Modern Art. He requested strike benefits of $125 for one Local 802 member who had refused to cross the UAW Local 2110 picket line to perform an engagement. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve.

Elsila requested that two tickets, at $150 each, be purchased for a fundraiser sponsored by the United Farm Workers. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve that expenditure, for a total of $300.

Elsila reported that the New Organizing Department’s efforts at the Apollo Theatre will likely require the union to refute a claim made before the NLRB that the musicians employed there are independent contractors. He also reported that the Apollo’s board is controlled by Time/Warner. In this regard, he requested the board to approve an ad for publication in a major New York City newspaper pressuring Time/Warner to influence the Apollo to settle with Local 802. Discussion held. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the foregoing request, in the amount of $3,061.30.

Dubnau reported on a grievance with the New York Gilbert & Sullivan Player’s production of The Pirates of Penzance. Discussion held. Motion made and carried unanimously to send this grievance to arbitration.

Dubnau reported on a successful organizing campaign and distributed an agreement with NYC Swing covering single engagement side-musicians for a period ending March 14, 2006. Discussion held.

Weiss excused at 4:00 p.m. during the foregoing discussion.

Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the agreement.

Bogert presented a request for a salary increase for a supervisor. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve.

Meeting adjourned at 4:30 p.m.


TUESDAY, MAY 16, 2000

Meeting called to order at 11:30 a.m. Present: President Moriarity, Recording Vice-President Price, Executive Board members Blumenthal, Crow, Gale, Giannini, Hafemeister, Rosen, Shankin and Weiss, Controller Bogert, Assistant to the President Dennison.

Jazz Advisory Committee Liaison Owens present at 11:40 a.m. Board member Simon present at 11:45 a.m.

May 2 minutes unanimously approved as amended.

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

  1. Marc Goldberg, from the Broadway production Beauty and the Beast, from April 26-May 7 to perform with the Boston Symphony, and from July 25-Aug. 6 and from Sept. 27, 2000-May 20, 2001 to perform with the NY Philharmonic.
  2. Nina Simon, from the Broadway production Annie Get Your Gun, from May 9-July 1, to perform with American Ballet Theatre, with the proviso that she not substitute in Annie Get Your Gun during that period.
  3. Ron Oakland, from the Broadway production Aida, from May 8-July 3, to perform with American Ballet Theatre, with the proviso that he not substitute in Aida during that period.
  4. Neil Balm, from the Broadway production Beauty and the Beast, from May 31-June 25, to perform with the NYC Ballet, with the proviso that he not substitute in Beauty and the Beast during that period.
  5. Lenard Rivlin, from the Broadway production The Phantom of the Opera, from May 12-July 1, to perform with American Ballet Theatre, with the proviso that he not substitute in The Phantom of the Opera during that period.
  6. Jack Gale, from the Broadway production Miss Saigon, from May 3-7, to play the Encores! production of Wonderful Town at City Center, with the proviso that he not substitute in Miss Saigon during that period.
  7. Samuel Kephart, from the Broadway production Les Misérables, from April 27-May 4, to perform with the Roanoke Symphony.
  8. Earl Gardner, from the Broadway production Saturday Night Fever, from May 6-14 and from May 30-June 4, to perform at the Blue Note, with the proviso that he not substitute in Saturday Night Fever during those periods.
  9. Lawrence Feldman, from the Broadway production Saturday Night Fever, from April 29-May 7, to play the Encores! production of Wonderful Town at City Center, with the proviso that he not substitute in Saturday Night Fever during that period.
  10. Jon Herington, from the Broadway production Aida, from May 30-July 31, to perform on tour.
  11. Mineko Yajima, from the Broadway production Miss Saigon, from May 2-6, to play the Encores! production of Wonderful Town at City Center, with the proviso that she not substitute in Miss Saigon during that period.
  12. Edward Joffe, from the Broadway production Fosse, from May 16-21, for personal reasons.
  13. Thomas Brett, from the Broadway production The Lion King, from May 11-13, for personal reasons.
  14. Cynthia Kortman, from the Broadway production The Lion King, from June 2-18, for personal reasons.
  15. Katie Dennis, from the Broadway production The Lion King, from June 6-25 and from July 11-Aug. 2, to perform out of town.
  16. John Rojak, from the Broadway production Les Misérables, from June 15-Aug. 24, to perform and teach at the Aspen Music Festival.

May 9 minutes unanimously approved as amended.

President Moriarity submitted a request from the New York Virtuosi for a Non-Theatrical Archival Recording on May 24. This group is signatory to the archival agreement. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve.

Moriarity submitted a request from St. Patrick’s Cathedral for a Grant Application Recording on May 18. They will sign the grant application recording agreement. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve.

Moriarity reported on the status of the Radio City Music Hall negotiations.

Hafemeister excused at 12:15 p.m. to attend to union business.

Moriarity reported on the first day of hearings on the Saturday Night Fever arbitration.

Board member Simon reported that he had attended the Riverside Symphony educational project (see minutes of April 4 and 11) and found it to be very worthwhile. He gave a very positive review of the activity.

Simon reported on the death of Milton H. Carter, Jr., President of AFM Local 677, Honolulu, Hawaii. Simon distributed to the board a tribute to Carter written by Marsha Schweitzer of Local 677.

Assistant Supervisor of National Contracts Schaffner, New Organizing Director Dubnau and Senior Business Rep Sheldon appeared before the board, and Schaffner presented a contract with Michael Feldman, d.b.a. Members of New York Collegium. Discussion held. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve. Dubnau excused.

Schaffner gave the board an update and information regarding the Brazilian film Bossa Nova (see April 25 minutes). Discussion held, during which solutions were proposed to deal with the proliferation of nonunion recording engagements. Schaffner was directed to seek cooperation from the RMA in this matter.

Meeting recessed at 1:10 p.m.

Meeting resumed at 2:30 p.m.

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

Senior Organizer Seymour appeared before the board to request Local 802’s annual $250 donation to the Greater New York Labor-Religion Coalition so that this group may be able to continue its good work on behalf of labor. Motion made and carried unanimously to contribute $250.

In accordance with the board’s strategic planning initiative, Controller Bogert reported to the board on the activities and planning for the future of the Membership and Controller’s departments, which he supervises. He described the current duties, current and projected staffing levels, and a general outline of work projected, for both departments. Discussion held.

Hafemeister present at 3:40 p.m.

Moriarity reported that a settlement on an outstanding grievance had been reached with the Organization of Union Representatives, the in-house union of business representatives.

A letter of thanks was received from the Schomberg Center for Research in Black Culture for Local 802’s recent donation.

The Actors’ Fund sent a letter of thanks for the recent $10,000 payment by Local 802’s Emergency Relief Fund (ERF) towards our $25,000 pledge to the Campaign for Supportive Housing.

Dennison reported on the Actors’ Fund Entertainment Industry Health Insurance Initiative and the legislative process associated with this project. He noted that Local 802’s contribution to this endeavor is $5,000. The ERF will contribute this amount for Local 802.

Motion made and carried unanimously to purchase one ticket at $175 to Angel Guardians for the Elderly’s 25th Anniversary Testimonial Dinner Dance on June 9.

Motion made and carried unanimously to purchase one ticket at $85 for the Deadline Club Annual Awards Dinner. Public Relations Supervisor West will attend the event.

Motion made and carried unanimously to contribute $250 from TEMPO802 to the reelection campaign of Chairman of the NYS Assembly Ways and Means Committee Herman “Farrell 2000.”

Motion made and carried unanimously to contribute $250 from TEMPO802 to the reelection campaign of Chairman of the NYS Senate Labor Committee Nicholas Spano.

Motion made and carried unanimously to donate $100 from TEMPO802 to the reelection campaign of NYC Borough President C. Virginia Fields.

Moriarity reported that the ERF would purchase four tickets, for a total of $400, to the Jazz Foundation of America and Jazz Musicians’ Emergency Fund’s charitable event on May 21.

Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the March 2000 vouchers. Bogert distributed the April vouchers for the board’s study.

Meeting adjourned at 3:30 p.m.