August 30th, 2009 The Committee
I. LOCAL 47 BOARD DETERMINED NOT TO REOPEN STUDIO 47
II. FEATURED COMMENT
III. RICK BLANC COMMENT
IV. CONCERTS AND EVENTS
=================
I. LOCAL 47 BOARD DETERMINED NOT TO REOPEN STUDIO 47
If you look at the brochure for Local 47, at the top of the list
of benefits is Studio 47. Our board, who seemed to have
no problem spending upwards of $500,000 refurbishing the
Auditorium, is balking at 4% of that amount to reopen a service
they not only promised to restore, but one that had been used
by many, many members to record demos, soundtrack albums,
advertising tracks for freelance ensembles for their websites, etc.
The problem? It was mostly utilized by freelance members, and
as we all know this board serves a different subset of the
membership. The part that pays only 17% of our work dues.
The previous administration fired Barbara Markey, crippling the
CD/Radio AIrplay service, a service that never recovered.
Next, they fired Errol Henry, crippling the Referral Service, a service
that itself has never regained lost ground.
The board is either convinced that the membership doesn’t care
about having a studio, or are determined to not allow it unless
forced.
CONTACT THE BOARD NOW
It’s totally up to you, the membership, to tell the board you
want this service preserved. Without your participation and
insistence, the service will never be restored.
It is vital that you write to the entire board AND those involved
in the departments that handle the membership services area.
In this case, Amie Moore. Also, it is important that whatever
letter you send to the board is sent also to us AND the Overture
(Letters to the Editor). By sending your letter to us as well,
we can share your letter with the rest of the membership and
keep a record of the letters in case the board tries to “forget”
that you wrote in.
Here are the email addresses of those you should send the letter to::
vince.trombetta@promusic47.org
john.acosta@promusic47.org
leslie.lashinsky@promusic47.org
linda.rapka@promusic47.org
amie.moore@promusic47.org
gary.lasley@promusic47.org
commresp47@responsible47.com
dmugger@aol.com
BRJanofsky@sbcglobal.net
GHuckins@aol.com
pamgates@aol.com
judychilnick@sbcglobal.net
gumbah@sbcglobal.net
pcklar@earthlink.net
If you think this service should be available to our members,
you must act now. Please don’t leave it to someone else, if
you do it won’t happen. Studio 47 needs your help, please
participant and make your voice heard.
THE COMMITTEE
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Committee Newsletters | No Comments »
August 23rd, 2009 The Committee
I. FAREPLAY’S RISHIK AMENDS COMPLAINT OF SECOND LAWSUIT
II. RMA USUAL SUSPECTS: THE EDDIE HASKELLS OF THE MUSICAL WORLD
III. RESPONSES RE: OFFICER TAKING “IN JURISDICTION” WORK
IV. RESPONSES RE: JIM SITTERLY’S LASHINSKY DEFENSE
V. CONCERTS AND EVENTS
Remember, you can always read new and previous mailings at
www.responsible47.com
=================
I. FAREPLAY’S RISHIK AND THE RECORDING MUSICIANS
Here they go again! Fareplay’s Rishik, and recording musicians
Keith Green and Stephan J. Erdody are simply determined to spend all
the money Fareplay has leeched out of RMA members by amending the
2nd lawsuit that was recently dismissed.
It appears that they took the same arguments:
* The work dues aren’t permitted under AFM bylaws
* The work dues weren’t passed fairly at the convention
* Tom Lee intimidated people at the convention
* The work dues were retroactive
* The work dues aren’t fair
And repackaged them, but this time with even nastier language than
before,…
Some of our sources attended that Convention, and they reported
to us that it was the RMA that the rest of the AFM delegates and
most attendees had had enough of. The RMA had been trying to
bully the AFM for years and most locals, their officers and delegates
had had enough of their arrogance, attitudes and self-importance.
They talked to many people from around the federation and with
very few exceptions, they had nothing good to say about the RMA
representatives and their conduct.
Film Music Magazine just published an article about the situation.
You can also download the entire complaint (31 pages) at the end
of the article.
http://www.filmmusicmag.com/?p=3689
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Committee Newsletters | No Comments »
August 16th, 2009 The Committee
I. RESPONSES RE: OFFICER TAKING “IN JURISDICTION” WORK
II. RESPONSES RE: DELEGATES TO THE CONVENTION AND VOTES
III. MUSICIANS SWAP MEET AUGUST 23RD
IV. COMMENTS
V. CONCERTS AND EVENTS
=================
I. RESPONSES RE: OFFICER TAKING “IN JURISDICTION” WORK
To Whom It May Concern: I will not get mixed up in personality
political finger pointing; however, as President of a small local,
I never took a job from a member when the call to work came
to the office. I passed it on for it is ours to serve others as
officers.
We do not serve the membership by self indulging in work. We
should never and I reiterate “never” supersede those we are
serving. The question is: Is Secretary Lashinsky breaking any
Local 47 By-Laws? Is there a By-Law stating that officers are
not allowed to work in their own jurisdiction? I can’t answer
that question. Is the Board disregarding By-Laws that prevent
officers from taking jobs? If the officers are paid sufficiently
to serve the local then it is not ethical for them to take work
from 47 members. I suggest a change in By-Laws. Take the
power away from the Board and give it to the rank and file.
Secretary Lashinsky may have the right to keep her performance
going not to let her skills diminish. I am just an outsider
looking in.
Bob Bell, President Emeritus
Local 336 AFM
[President Bell, Thank you very much for writing in. There
is indeed a bylaw forbidding titled officers from taking work
within the jurisdiction unless given special permission by
the board. She is paid more than $75,000 a year, plus
benefits and medical, to serve the members of Local 47,
not compete with them for the same jobs. She can work
in any other jurisdiction - i.e. Long Beach, Orange County,
Santa Barbara, etc. ]
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Committee Newsletters | 3 Comments »
August 10th, 2009 The Committee
I. ANOTHER MONTH, ANOTHER “IN JURISDICTION” JOB ALLOWED FOR SECRETARY LASHINSKY
II. TEXT OF SECOND RECORDING MUSICIANS’ LAWSUIT DISMISSAL
III. JOHN ALTMAN HONORED BY ASMAC
IV. MUSICIANS SWAP MEET AUGUST 23RD
V. COMMENTS
VI. CONCERTS AND EVENTS
=================
I. ANOTHER MONTH, ANOTHER “IN JURISDICTION” JOB ALLOWED FOR SECRETARY LASHINSKY
It seems almost every month the Secretary requests permission to take
yet another job from Local 47 rank and file bassoonists, and the
board seems to have worked out their game on these requests.
Some vote for, some against, but somehow the votes go in favor of
the Secretary’s double dipping. How convenient.
THIS MONTH the Secretary requested to play with the LA Jewish Symphony
at the John Anson Ford Theater
In Favor:
Greg Huckins
Bonnie Janofsky
Against:
John Acosta
Paul Castillo
Abstained:
Lesa Terry
Roy D’Antonio
President Vince Trombetta broke the tie putting the secretary ahead
of the rank and file bassoonists and letting her take the job,
including the pension and health and welfare involved.
Your dues money at work against the rank and file.
THE COMMITTEE
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Committee Newsletters | 1 Comment »
August 1st, 2009 The Committee
—- SPECIAL BULLETIN: SECOND RECORDING LAWSUIT DISMISSED! —-
I. SECOND RECORDING MUSICIANS LAWSUIT DISMISSED
II. NORMAN SAMNICK PASSES
=================
I. SECOND RECORDING MUSICIANS LAWSUIT DISMISSED!
Message from AFM President Tom Lee
On May 21, 2009, I reported to you that the United States
District Court in Los Angeles had dismissed the complaint
in the lawsuit filed by three LA musicians who are members
of Local 47 and the RMA challenging the Federation’s
collection of work dues on “promulgated agreements”
(Parmenter v. AFM). In that report, I also told you that
the Federation had moved to dismiss another lawsuit - also
filed by three LA musicians who are Local 47 and RMA members
- challenging the 2007 Convention’s action imposing a work
dues obligation on Special Payment Fund distributions
(Rishik v. AFM) and that I would keep you advised on the
progress of that lawsuit as well.
I am pleased to report that on July 30, the District Court
in Santa Ana, California, granted the Federation’s motion
to dismiss that case as well. I have attached the Court’s
decision for your convenience. Although the Court’s decision
dismissing the case gives the plaintiffs until August 17 to
file an amended complaint, based on the Court’s reasoning, the
facts and our understanding of the law, we are confident that
any amended claims will be similarly unsuccessful.
In light of the Court’s decision, we urge all of our members
who have not paid their work dues based on these SPF distributions
to promptly meet their financial obligations of AFM members.
Sincerely,
Thomas F. Lee
President
AFM
———————–
Colleagues,
As soon as we get the court’s decision, we’ll pass it on.
The recording musicians already filed an appeal for the
dismissal of the first lawsuit, and we can expect that they
will appeal this one as well.
After all, Fareplay has to find a reason to keep all the money
donated to them by Rank and File RMA members.
-How much Rank and File RMA money has been wasted on
the lawsuits inspired by the vendetta of two RMA Officers?
-How much AFM membership money has been wasted fighting
these lawsuits from players being used as pawns by those
same RMA Offiicers?
We’ve been reading depositions - publically available - from the
lawsuits and are amazed at how little some of the defendants
know about the lawsuits they supposedly “filed”. It would be
laughable, if it hadn’t cost so many so much.
We’re preparing a report for you and will be sending it soon.
THE COMMITTEE
==================
II. NORMAN SAMNICK PASSES
Norman Samnick, the chief negotiator for the recording industry
and co-chair to the AFM-EP Fund passed away yesterday. Norman
has built many friendships with past AFM Presidents and negotiating
committees and has been an instrumental force as a co-chair
with the AFM-EP Fund. His funeral service will be held on
Sunday, August 2, 2009 at 10:00 AM. If you wish to send sympathy
cards you may send them to:
Jackie Samnick
22 Pheasant Hill Lane
Old Brookville, NY 11545
==================
UNTIL NEXT TIME,
THE COMMITTEE FOR A MORE RESPONSIBLE LOCAL 47
Visit us at www.responsible47.com
Posted in Committee Newsletters | No Comments »