TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2000

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

Aug. 22 minutes unanimously approved as amended. Board member Weiss present at 11:40 a.m. during the reading of the minutes.

President Moriarity notified the board of a request from ABC News Productions to waive musicians’ fees for a filming of one minute of Cheryl Ladd’s performance in Annie Get Your Gun on Sept. 21. They are producing a segment of an A&E Biography series featuring Cheryl Ladd on the A&E cable network, which ABC/Disney owns. Discussion held, during which Moriarity was directed to find out from ABC News when the show will air, in order to determine the potential impact if any on the show’s ticket sales, whether other unions have agreed to waive fees, and whether credits for Local 802 will be available. Moriarity indicated that he would notify the orchestra of this request.

Supervisor of Contract Administration/Field Services Hannen, Long Island Supervisor Gulluscio and Senior Business Rep Schilio appeared before the board to request funds for a rank-and-file dinner business meeting on Oct. 19, to which single engagement club date musicians have been invited, in anticipation of negotiations to begin after the first of next year. They requested an amount up to $3,000. Discussion held. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the request, with a $3,000 cap.

Gulluscio requested purchase of one ticket at $125 for the March of Dimes Salute to Labor dinner-dance. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve.

Gulluscio requested purchase of four tickets at $75, for a total of $300, for the Long Island Workers’ Memorial Day Committee fundraiser. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve.

Hannen, Gulluscio and Schilio excused.

Price submitted a request for a resolution to send to the NY State Comptroller for the release of money escheated by various entities to New York State, that is being held in the name of Local 802. Motion made and carried unanimously granting Recording Vice-President Price the authority to bind Local 802 to the Comptroller of the State of New York for the release of money held by the NY State Comptroller in Local 802’s name.

Price submitted for the board’s approval a $15,000 budget for the Labor Day Parade. The union pays for three bands, the float and other miscellaneous items. Discussion held. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the parade budget.

Controller Bogert distributed financial statements for June and July and the period January through June 2000. Discussion held, during which Bogert reviewed the statements and explained the positive results. He recommended that, due to the favorable results for the seven-month period, Local 802 prepay the mortgage in the amount of $250,000. Motion made and carried unanimously to prepay $250,000 of the building mortgage.

Meeting recessed at 1:15 p.m.

Meeting resumed at 2:35 p.m.

Present: Moriarity, Price, Crow, Gale, Giannini, Rosen, Shankin, Weiss and Bogert.

Moriarity reported on the ABC News request. Discussion held. Motion made to approve the request subject to two-thirds approval by a secret ballot vote of the Annie Get Your Gun orchestra. Opposed: Giannini, Crow, Rosen. The motion failed in the absence of the five favorable votes required by the bylaws.

Senior Business Rep Donovan appeared before the board to present an agreement with 4 Guys Named Jose Company for a production entitled 4 Guys Named Jose at the Blue Angel. Discussion held. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve.

Donovan submitted a contract with the Blues 2000 Company for a production entitled It Ain’t Nothin’ But the Blues at B.B. King’s Blues Club & Grill. Discussion held. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve. Donovan excused.

Moriarity submitted an amended contract with Opera Français. Management had requested a waiver from the schedule of performances listed in the original two-year contract, from two each year to one in 2000 and three in 2001, for financial and fundraising reasons. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the waiver, with the proviso that the Jan. 5, 2001, performance be paid at the higher rate of pay required in the second year.

Business Rep Jackson appeared before the board to request a contribution to the Veritas Therapeutic Community Foundation’s 12th Annual Evening with Friends of Charlie Parker Gala and Benefit Concert. Motion made and carried unanimously to buy one ticket at $250.

A request for a contribution was received from the Actors’ Fund. Motion made and carried unanimously to purchase a half-page ad in the Actors’ Fund Gala Journal at $750.

Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the July vouchers.

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

1. James Baker, from the Broadway production The Music Man, from Aug. 10-13 and from Aug. 19-27, to perform out of town.
2. Kathleen Foster, from the Broadway production Les Misérables, from Aug. 11-Sept. 2, to teach in Vermont and for personal reasons.
3. Tony Kadleck, from the Broadway production Beauty and the Beast, from Aug. 9-28, to work in Italy.
4. Samuel Kephart, from the Broadway production Les Misérables, from the evening of Aug. 9 through Aug. 21, for personal reasons.
5. Melanie Feld, from the Broadway production The Phantom of the Opera, from Aug. 11-21, to play the Berkshire Opera Festival.
6. Sandra Billingslea, from the Broadway production Miss Saigon, from Aug. 14-26 and from Oct. 10-18, to tour with the New York Ragtime Orchestra.
7. Brian Hamm, from the Broadway production Les Misérables, from Sept. 19-Oct. 3, for personal reasons.
8. Robert Bush, from the Broadway production Jekyll & Hyde, from Aug. 18-27, to play the Skaneateles Festival.
9. Jacqueline Giat, from the Broadway production Les Misérables, from Sept. 5-Oct. 1, for personal reasons.

Assistant Supervisor of National Contracts Schaffner appeared before the board to discuss a recent nonunion phonograph recording engagement with artist Britney Spears. Discussion held, during which it was noted that the list of musicians performing appears on the record label’s web site. Schaffner excused.

Crow excused at 3:45 p.m.

Legislative Director West appeared before the board to present NYS Senate candidate from the 26th district Liz Krueger, who made a presentation on her candidacy. She asked for Local 802’s endorsement, financial support and a list of members in the 26th Senate district for a mailing.

Meeting adjourned at 4:37 p.m.

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 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.

Motion made and carried unanimously to endorse Liz Krueger for NYS Senate from the 26th district (see Aug. 29 minutes). Motion made and carried unanimously to make a list of members in the 26th district available to Ms. Krueger for mailing purposes.

President Moriarity reported to the board that the Local 802 clerical staff union, OPEIU Local 153, was seeking a revision in the collective bargaining agreement. They wish to change the dental benefits language to reflect an increase in contributions should the trustees of their health plan find that to be necessary due to increased costs. Local 153 also asked that Local 802 agree to change the clause “during the period between the expiration of the agreement and execution of a successor contract. Should the Trustees determine that the contribution rate must be increased to maintain the level of benefits provided by the Fund, the employer agrees to pay the additional amount.” Discussion held. Motion made and carried to approve the language in amended section 4 of the contract, with a cap of $3.50 per week. Opposed: Weiss.

Moriarity reported that he had scheduled a meeting with the Annie Get Your Gun orchestra to discuss the ABC News/A&E taping (see Aug. 29 minutes).

Moriarity reported on a meeting with Alan Eisenberg, Executive Director of Actors’ Equity, which is now in negotiation with the League of New York Theatres & Producers.

Member Lee Soper appeared before the board to ask for a clarification on whether Local 802’s bylaws prohibit the candidacy for union office of a member who is an assistant conductor on Broadway. Discussion held. Soper excused.

In the course of the board’s discussion it was determined that the bylaws as presently constituted do not prohibit an assistant conductor from being a candidate for office. Further discussion was held, and the following motion made and carried: “In accordance with Article I, Section 5(c) of the Local 802 bylaws, a board member is not prohibited from serving as an assistant conductor.” Opposed: Crow, Shankin.

Soper returned and was informed of the board’s decision and then excused.

Legislative Director West appeared before the board with Rory Lancman, candidate for NYS Senate from northern Queens, who made a presentation on his candidacy and asked for Local 802’s endorsement. Motion made and carried unanimously to endorse Lancman.

Meeting recessed at 1:15 p.m.

Meeting resumed at 2:20 p.m.

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

Senior Business Rep Lennon appeared before the board to submit an agreement with Center Theatre Group for a workshop production of Flower Drum Song at 890 Broadway. Discussion held. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve.

Lennon reported to the board on the union’s participation in the SFX CD-ROM project. Lennon excused.

Aug. 29 minutes unanimously approved as amended.

Aug. 31 vouchers were distributed by Controller Bogert.

Discussion held on strategic planning. A board meeting devoted to that topic was scheduled for Oct. 27 at 11 a.m. A previously appointed board subcommittee on strategic planning will make their report available on Oct. 17 for distribution to the board.

Crow excused at 3:45 p.m.

Search Committee for Financial Vice-President members Frank Donoruma, Robert Biddlecome and Jay Elfenbein appeared before the board to discuss the recommendation of a Financial V.P. to the Executive Board. Board member Gale reported on the board’s interview with Peter Vriesenga and the reasons the board did not accept the committee recommendation. The committee members, including board members Blumenthal and Jazz Advisory Liaison Owens, who are also on the Search Committee, were excused to confer. Hafemeister and Giannini, candidates for Financial V.P., were excused while the board held discussion.

Hafemeister and Giannini returned. The committee members returned and indicated they would meet with other members of the Search Committee and submit another recommendation to the board.

Meeting adjourned at 5:00 p.m.