Allegro
Executive Board Minutes
December 30, 2003 -- January 27, 2004
Volume CIV, No. 3March, 2004
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2003
Meeting called to order at 11:25 a.m. Present: President Moriarity, Recording Vice-President Price, Executive Board members Blumenthal, Crow, Gale, Giannini, Landolfi, Rohdin, Shankin, Weiss, Controller Bogert, Assistant to the President Dennison, Assistant Director Lennon.
Local 802 legal counsel Harvey Mars appeared before the board and, along with Controller Bogert, reported on a number of Local 802 entities that required changes in officers or authorizations due to the change in Local 802 leadership effective January 1, 2004. These entities include the Musiciansâ Emergency Relief Fund, Legit802 Inc., the Greater New York Musicians Club Corp., the Council for Living Music Inc., and Tempo802.
Motion made and carried unanimously to appoint President-elect David Lennon, Financial Vice-President-elect Jay Blumenthal and Recording Vice-President-elect William Dennison as trustees of the Musiciansâ Emergency Relief Fund.
Motion made and carried unanimously to appoint President-elect David Lennon, Financial Vice-President-elect Jay Blumenthal and Recording Vice-President-elect William Dennison as officers of Legit802 Inc.
Motion made and carried unanimously to appoint the 12 serving members of the Local 802 Executive Board as the officers of the Greater New York Musicians Club Corp.
Motion made and carried unanimously to authorize President-elect David Lennon, Financial Vice-President-elect Jay Blumenthal and Recording Vice-President-elect William Dennison to act on behalf of and as signatories for the following entities; Local 802 AFM, the Local 802 Strike Fund and the Musiciansâ Emergency Relief Fund.
Motion made and carried unanimously to appoint Vice-President-elect William Dennison as Treasurer of the Tempo802, Federal and State political action committees.
Mars excused.
Recording Vice-President Price distributed minutes of December 9, 2003.
Motion made and carried unanimously to approve as amended.
Moriarity reported that a side letter agreement between Local 802 and the NY City Ballet regarding co-concertmaster positions had been ratified by the bargaining unit. (See minutes of Dec, 9 and December 16, 2003)
Recording Vice-President Price distributed minutes of December 16, 2003.
Motion made and carried unanimously to approve as amended.
Recording Vice-President Price distributed minutes of December 23, 2003.
Motion made and carried unanimously to approve as amended.
Moriarity distributed copies of the December 2003 newsletter of the RMA Los Angeles Chapter. Moriarity reported on his work as chair of the AFM Futures Committee and the committeeâs plans for an initial meeting in Las Vegas on January 24 and 25, 2004.
Discussion held.
Assistant Director Lennon, distributed to the Board a letter received from Local 802 Health Benefits Plan Trustee Martha Hyde, offering her resignation from that position and expressing her willingness to continue as a Trustee should the incoming Local 802 leadership so decide.
Assistant Director Lennon, presented to the Board an agreement between Local 802 and the Martha Graham Center for Contemporary Dance.
Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the Agreement.
Meeting adjourned at 2:00 p.m.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2004
Meeting called to order at 11:25 a.m. Present: President Lennon, Recording Vice-President Dennison, Financial Vice-President Blumenthal, Executive Board members, Babich, Gagliardi, Gale, Giannini, Landolfi, Schaffner, Shankin, Weiss, Whitaker, Controller Bogert, and Assistant to the President Delia.
Recording Vice-President Dennison distributed minutes of December 30, 2003.
Motion made and carried unanimously to approve as amended.
Lennon reported to the Board that the 2004 Local 802 budget should be ready for review by the Board at its next meeting. He also reported on the status of outstanding grievances with the League of American Theatres and Producers (Broadway) and the New York City Ballet. Lennon distributed to the Board a list of proposed members of the Special Situations neutrals panel from both the union and the League called for in the Broadway contract and their brief biographies.
Discussion held.
Blumenthal reported on various issues facing the freelance concert field.
Dennison reported on a meeting of AFM recording locals that he, Lennon and Schaffner were to attend in Washington, D.C. on January 12 and 13. The meeting was to deal with the issue of digital distribution of music in preparation for upcoming negotiations with the recording industry.
Lennon recommended the appointment of the three Local 802 officers as Trustees of the Theatre Sick Pay and Hospitalization Fund.
Motion made and carried unanimously that Lennon, Blumenthal and Dennison be appointed Trustees of the Theatre Sick Pay and Hospitalization Fund.
Lennon reported that he had been appointed a trustee of the Local 802 Health Benefits Plan by outgoing President Bill Moriarity and recommended the appointment of Dennison and the reappointment of Local 802 member Martha Hyde to serve, along with himself, as trustees of the Local 802 Health Benefits Plan.
Motion made and carried unanimously that Dennison and Hyde be appointed trustees of the Local 802 Health Benefits Fund.
Lennon reported that two vacancies existed on the Trial Board. He distributed to the Board letters from four former Trial Board members indicating their interest in filling one of the vacant positions.
Discussion held during which it was noted that there were no issues pending before the trial board and that filling these vacancies could await a subsequent meeting.
Lennon recommended the reappointment of Jimmy Owens as Jazz liaison to the Executive Board and the reappointment of Abe Rosen as delegate to the United Hebrew Trades.
Motion made and carried unanimously to appoint Jimmy Owens as Jazz Liaison to the Executive Board.
Motion made and carried unanimously to appoint Abe Rosen as delegate to the United Hebrew Trades.
Discussion held on the Public Relations Sub-committee of the Executive Board, its mandate and its interaction with various bargaining units.
The Board recessed at 1:00 p.m. to attend the new officersâ installation ceremony and luncheon.
Meeting resumed at 2:30 p.m.
Present: Lennon, Dennison, Blumenthal, Babich, Gagliardi, Gale, Giannini, Landolfi, Schaffner, Shankin, Weiss, Whitaker, Bogert, Delia.
Local 802 Public Relations Director Heather Beaudoin appeared before the Board and participated in a discussion of the unionâs ongoing Public Relations activities. The Board reviewed the contents of an ad planned for the February issue of PLAYBILL.
Lennon distributed to the Board several letters he had received over the past weeks from Local 802 members who work in the Music Preparation field expressing concern about the unionâs continued oversight of this field. Lennon shared with the Board the officersâ discussion of this issue and the need to address this staffing problem.
Gale excused at 3:30 p.m.
Discussion held.
Motion made and carried unanimously to retain Tina Hafemeister on a per-diem basis to handle music preparation duties until the 2004 budget is reviewed and approved.
Meeting adjourned at 4:30 p.m.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2004
Meeting called to order at 11:30 a.m. Present: President Lennon, Recording Vice-President Dennison, Financial Vice-President Blumenthal, Executive Board members, Babich, Gagliardi, Gale, Giannini, Landolfi, Schaffner, Shankin, Controller Bogert, and Assistant to the President Delia.
Lennon distributed to the Board the following documents; Local 802 Constitution and By-laws, AFM By-laws, Local 802âs agreement with its clerical staffâs union, Local 802âs agreement with its organizing staffâs union, and a listing of union departments, personnel and duties.
Weiss present at11:35 a.m.
Recording Vice-President Dennison distributed minutes of December 30, 2003.
Motion made and carried unanimously to approve as amended.
Lennon reported on a dispute between the British Musicians Union (BMU) and the Cameron Mackintosh organization over a production of Les Miserables in London. Mackintosh planned to replace a live orchestra of 24 musicians with 12 musicians and a virtual orchestra when the production moves from the Palace Theatre to the Queens Theatre in Londonâs West End.
Discussion held during which Lennon indicated that he would be in contact with the BMU and offer whatever help Local 802 might be able to provide during this dispute.
Dennison reported on a successful organizing campaign involving musicians employed by the Big Apple Circus and that a tentative first agreement had been reached.
Lennon, Dennison and Schaffner reported on a meeting of AFM recording locals held in Washington, D.C. on January 12 and 13. The meeting was held in preparation for upcoming negotiations with the recording industry.
Blumenthal reported on initial meetings held in preparation for freelance concert negotiations. He also reported on the ICSOM Governing Boardâs mid-winter meeting in Chicago and informed the Board that as an officer of Local 802, he had resigned his position on the Governing Board, which is composed of rank and file musicians.
Blumenthal will continue to serve until a replacement is appointed.
Bogert and Delia excused.
Discussion held on the attendance of staff members at Board meetings.
Bogert and Delia returned.
Lennon appointed Landolfi, Dennison and Owens to serve as a committee to review fund raising possibilities for the Local 802 Emergency Relief Fund.
Lennon distributed to the Board a description of the duties of the Executive Boardâs Public Relations Committee and its relationship with rank and file committees.
Discussion held.
Lennon appointed Babich, Giannini, Owens, Shankin, and Whitaker to serve as the Executive Boardâs Public Relations Committee.
Lennon reported on discussions with Dodger Stage Holding Theatricals Inc. over a new agreement covering their Broadway theatrical productions.
Lennon reported that Tina Hafemeister had been retained on a per diem basis to handle Music Preparation responsibilities at Local 802. (See minutes of January 6, 2004.)
The Executive Board appointed Eric Goletz and Bill Rohdin to fill the vacancies on the Trial Board.
Meeting recessed at 1:30 p.m.
Meeting resumed at 2:35 p.m. Present: Lennon, Dennison, Blumenthal, Babich, Gagliardi, Gale, Giannini, Landolfi, Schaffner, Shankin, Weiss, Bogert, Delia.
Motion made and carried unanimously to purchase two tickets at $250 each to the annual NYC Central Labor Council dinner.
Motion made and carried unanimously to purchase two tickets at $100 each to the Jobs with Justice annual dinner providing that, if a band is performing it is doing so under a union agreement.
Motion made and carried unanimously to purchase two tickets at $50 each to a breakfast meeting of NYC and Company (formerly the NYC Convention and Visitors Bureau).
Senior Business Rep Donovan appeared before the Board and presented a contract with They Wrote That L.L.C. for the off-Broadway production of They Wrote That at the McGinn/Casale Theatre.
Motion made and carried to approve the contract. Landolfi opposed.
Donovan presented a contract with the Sag Harbor Cultural Center Inc. for the off-Broadway production of Fiorello at the Snug Harbor Cultural Center.
Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the contract contingent upon the correction of several typographical errors.
Bogert presented to the Board the proposed 2004 Local 802 budget.
Discussion held.
Gale excused at 4:20 p.m.
Gagliardi excused at 4:30 p.m.
Meeting adjourned at 5:10 p.m.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2004
Meeting called to order at 11:35 a.m. Present: President Lennon, Recording Vice-President Dennison, Financial Vice-President Blumenthal, Executive Board members, Babich, Gagliardi, Gale, Giannini, Landolfi, Schaffner, Shankin, Weiss, Whitaker, Controller Bogert, and Assistant to the President Delia.
Lennon reported on discussions with the British Musicians Union concerning use of a virtual orchestra in a production of Les Miserables in London. (See minutes of January 20, 2004.)
Discussion held
Lennon reported on a meeting with Jay Meetze of the Opera Company of Brooklyn concerning its use of a virtual orchestra in upcoming performances and concerning a recent press release issued by the Opera Company.
Discussion held.
Lennon reported on a meeting of the AFM Futures Committee that he attended in Las Vegas on January 24 and 25, 2004.
Blumenthal reported on a recent meeting of Manhattan Plaza tenants, many of whom are members of Local 802, held to discuss the sale of the building complex. Representatives of both the new and former owners were in attendance. Blumenthal reported that a representative of the new owners expressed a commitment that there would be no change in the status of subsidized housing in the building.
Blumenthal shared with the Board a request from the Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance for the right to perform an educational matinee performance for NYC schoolchildren with tape.
Discussion held during which Blumenthal was asked to obtain additional information about the request.
Schaffner reported on his attendance at a recent meeting of the Sound Recording Special Payments Fund Oversight Committee. The committee was informed about the audit of the funds 2003 expenses, the 2004 interim budget and income, a projected budget for 2005 as well as efforts to find a new fund administrator.
Giannini excused at 1:30 p.m.
Meeting recessed at 1:30 p.m.
Meeting resumed at 2:35 p.m. Present: Lennon, Dennison, Blumenthal, Babich, Gagliardi, Gale, Landolfi, Schaffner, Shankin, Weiss, Whitaker, Bogert, Delia.
Bogert reported on corrections in the projected 2004 Local 802 budget.
Discussion resumed on the proposed 2004 budget (See minutes of January 20, 2004).
Bogert, Gale and Weiss excused at 4:30 p.m.
Meeting adjourned at 4:50 p.m.