June 25th, 2010 The Committee
BACK TO OUR OLD SCHEDULE
AFM BROTHERS AND SISTERS,
We hope you found our conventions updates helpful. We’re now
going back to our regular schedule.
I. ALLYN FERGUSON PASSES
II. REMINDER: FMA CALL TO ACTION THIS TUESDAY
III. FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE CONVENTION
IV. COMMENTS
IV. CONCERTS AND EVENTS
=================================
I. ALLYN FERGUSON PASSES
Colleagues, we have lost a dear friend and composing legend in
ALLYN FERGUSON.
He wrote and/or collaborated on countless films and series from
1962 to 2008 including: The Monkees; Bewitched; The Andy Williams Show;
Starsky and Hutch; The New Dick Van Dyke Show; Barney Miller;
Big Hawaii; A.E.S. Hudson Street; Hallmark Hall of Fame; The Rookies;
Murder, She Wrote; The Incredible Hulk; Diagnosis Murder and even
such shows as the Benny Hill Show!
He will be dearly missed.
=================================
II. REMINDER: FMA CALL TO ACTION THIS TUESDAY
From: Lisa Haley
President
Freelance Musicians Assn- L.A.
Hello Everyone:
I just received a request from Secretary Leslie, asking me to
attend the EB meeting on Tues June 29, 2010 concerning the
dissolving of the Referral Service Committee. I would greatly
appreciate it if you were present as well.
Appointment time TBA, probably late morning.
Unfortunately, as you know we had a “bad influence” with ulterior
motives in our FMA Leadership when the Passed Motions were drafted,
who convinced us to put the words:
“Local 47 Executive Board be URGED TO’
rather than “Local 47 Executive Board MUST”
- carry out the Passed Motions #II and III.
I fully expect the EB to grind us on this point.
In our favor, there is no wording in the Passed Motions allowing
the EB to dismiss the Referral Service Committee under any
circumstances, especially only after the implementing of our website.
We can argue that since most of the issues prompting the Passed
Motions are still outstanding, the RS Committee must continue.
I am also going to push the point that there were 453 Members
total in attendance at this meeting, and that the Passed Motions
were passed unanimously.
I have heard from another RS Committee member that they are
also very displeased at being “dismissed” following the completion
of our website, which was only one point of the Passed Motions.
It’s going to be a fight.
If there is anyone else who feels as we do, please email me
and plan to attend as well.
Regards,
Lisa Haley
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June 24th, 2010 The Committee
CONVENTION UPDATE V: FOR THURSDAY, JUNE 24th - Day 4
CONVENTION WRAPS UP
(You’ll find election finals at the bottom of this update.)
=================================
I. THE RECOMMENDATION I FARCE
Yesterday, we told you about the joint Law and Finance Committee
Substitute Resolution I (The finance package)
There was endless debate with many, many delegates protesting that
their locals simply could not afford it, NO WAY, NO HOW. They also
said cuts should be made rather than fee hikes.
A deal was struck on an alternate Joint Financial Package that was
presented this morning.
NOT A WORD WAS CHANGED from the previous days package except
the terms of the 2% fee on special payments. All the other fees and costs
and charges remained, exactly as it was yesterday, EXACTLY.
On the RMA 2%, it was removed and it is going to be under the direct
control of the IEB (The RMA IEB now) and a four person committee of
those who work in the area (RMAers). This is described in Article 8; section
6 of the AFM bylaws. Also, if we heard correctly, those who qualify to vote
on contracts would have to ok any fee. In other words, The foxes guarding
the hen house. Much like BP doing their own safety checks.
Anyone making under $2,500 in special payments will not be charged.
So the only, the single difference is that the RMA got exactly what it wanted,
and most of the folks who yesterday said NO WAY, WE CAN’T PAY, today said,
“fine”.
It took less that 16 hours for the small locals to wake up to having been
successfully played as suckers by the RMA for the recording members benefit.
And let’s see if the new RMA IEB will ok any fees.
IT PASSED
=================================
II. HAIR SMOKE AND MIRRORS, WITHOUT MUCH SMOKE
The next specious argument was shamefully transparent.
Incoming AFM President Ray Hair described as uncollected
revenue: $700,000 in 2008 and $700,000 in 2009 that was
lost because of the split in the federation over the 2% fee on
special payments.
He didn’t say that “revenue” was money that the RMAer’s owed
according to the very 2% fee he said caused the rift.
Money the RMAers refused to pay.
That money would never have existed as revenue to begin with
if not for the 2% fee. The argument was a total, bald-faced fraud.
Unfortunately, none of the delegates present had the cajones to
get up and call him on his obvious intellectual dishonesty.
RIFT FAULT
He intimated again and again that this rift was the AFM’S fault,
when all the attacks had came FROM the RMA to the AFM.
The RMA has been the one wasting our dues money by forcing
the Federation to defend us all against the recording musicians
attacks and not paying the fees they used as their excuse
FOR the attacks.
Yet, Ray will pretend that HE was able to heal the rift, when HE
and his people were the authors and finishers OF THE RIFT.
Also, we suspect that now that the RMA runs the show, that
1.4 million of unpaid RMA fees will be paid, and Hair and Company
will take total credit for the “INCREASE IN INCOME” They have
created.
A totally hypocritical, unethical and dishonest farce to be sure,
but Hair will act as pure as the driven snow and those who don’t
know any better will buy it, while his RMA crew will know it is all lies
but push it anyway, because it’s what they do.
These are the people who run our federation now and the ones
some of the small locals were fooled into supporting.
Hair and company created the conflict, blamed it one someone else,
then will take credit for “Solving it” when all they’ll do is to stop
what they started.
Let the shearing begin.
You certainly won’t find any of this info on the Observer.
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June 23rd, 2010 The Committee
CONVENTION UPDATE IV: FOR WEDNESDAY JUNE 23rd - Day 3
=================================
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE RMA
If you do to the Federation what you did to LA, it’s all over but the Elegy.
Thanks to the economy and 30% of the smaller locals not being able to
afford to attend, the RMA and a few hundred of their lackeys have taken
over the federation of 85,000 members.
SUMMARY OF ELECTION RESULTS
AFM PRESIDENT:
Ray Hair - AFM Local 72-147 - RMA
INTERNATIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT
Bruce Fife - AFM Local 542 - RMA
CANADIAN VICE-PRESIDENT
Bill Skolnick - AFM Local 149
INTERNATIONAL SECRETARY-TREASURER
Sam Folio - AFM Local 368
INTERNATIONAL EXECUTIVE BOARD
Tino Gagliardi - AFM Local 802
Tina Morrison - AFM Local 105
Joseph Parente - AFM Local 77
David Pomeroy - AFM Local 257
Vince Trombetta - AFM Local 47
The only anywhere near neutral people left are Joe Parente, Bill
Skolnick and Sam Folio.
We hope Mr. Hair and the others who drank the RMA kool-aide
know exactly who they’ve gotten into bed with. If not, they’ll find
out the moment they go against the wishes of the Dynastic Duo.
We hope the staff and officers of other Locals will help us keep an eye
on the new RMA administration running our federation. We’re always here.
You can certainly kiss goodbye any competitive contracts. You can probably
count on support for small locals disappearing as well.
It is only our long experience with the destruction created wherever the RMA
goes that makes us rather unhopeful.
We’re happy to have helped delay the takeover of the RMA for three years.
Time will certainly tell. We can say for certain that as bad as the egos of the
LOCAL 47 Officers were before, they’ll certainly be untenable now.
As it stands, we’re reminded of the final scene of the most recent Star Wars film,
when the dark side has taken over.
THE COMMITTEE
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June 22nd, 2010 The Committee
CONVENTION UPDATE III: FOR TUESDAY JUNE 22nd - Day 2
=================================
I. A BUSY DAY
The day began with a memorial service for those past officers, delegates,
staff and prominent musicians who passed away since the last convention.
It was beautifully accompanied by the Nevada Chamber Symphony.
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June 21st, 2010 The Committee
CONVENTION UPDATE II: FOR MONDAY JUNE 21st - Day 1
=================================
I. OPENING OF THE CONVENTION
II. SPEECHES
III. RECOMMENDATIONS/RESOLUTIONS
IV. CONVENTION COMMENTS
=================================
I. OPENING OF THE CONVENTION
Walking into the main convention room, you couldn’t help but
wonder how many trees gave their lives for the massive amount
of campaign literature on the tables.
Everyone had some, but the award for sheer volume of pulp went
to RMA Presidential Candidate Ray Hair and Local 47 President
Vince Trombetta, The RMA supporting blog AFMMatters.org had
white plastic megaphones all over which featured the word, “UNITY”.
The vast majority of the material seemed to be from the RMA
candidates and allies.
This year any AFM member could show up and get a guest badge,
no pre-registration needed. Even so, only about half of the area
designated for guests was full.
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June 20th, 2010 The Committee
CONVENTION UPDATE I: FOR SUNDAY JUNE 20th - Day 0
Colleagues,
Instead of a long drawn out mailing at the end of the week,
we thought it best to give you a shorter daily offering.
THE COMMITTEE
=================================
I. DISTRESSING DEVELOPMENTS…..
II. AND A BIT OF LEVITY
III. FEATURED LOCAL 47 MEMBER COMMENT ON REBUTTALS
=================================
I. DISTRESSING DEVELOPMENTS…..
Because of the dire economy, it seems many east coast Locals,
most of them small, are unable to attend the convention. This
gives the RMA and their minions a better chance at taking over
the AFM at this convention. It will also require that the NON-RMA
owned Locals band together to fight this coup.
Will LOCAL 47 tout the legitimacy of their LOCAL 47 OFFICER/RMA
OVERLORDS illegal delegate binding? Will the convention allow it
to stand? Stay tuned.
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June 19th, 2010 The Committee
I. CONVENTION COMMENTS
II. LOCAL 47 MEMBER COMMENT
III. SECRETARY LASHINSKY AT IT AGAIN!
IV. FMA CALL TO ACTION
V. ASMAC’S JUNE 23RD LUNCHEON FEATURES ALAN BROADBENT
VI. COMMENTS
VII. EVENTS
=================================
—CORRECTION: In a previous mailing we referred to the IEB “Recommendations”
as “Resolutions”. We regret the error.—
I. CONVENTION COMMENTS
As usual Leo Liddle hits the nail right on the head. I agree
completely with everything Leo said . If we don’t stop all of this
crap we will all be out of business. driving the small locals out of
existence will only serve to reduce the power and strength of the
Federation, plus the effect on the finances of the Federation. Way To
Go Leo.
Vic Vigdor President Local 52-626 and the Ct. Conference
—————————————
excellent letters from around the federation. We have the same dynamics
as at the last convention. When issues and lobby groups force a divide
between the small locals and the big locals, the small locals can out-vote
the big ones. The voting structure is set forth in the AFM bylaws. That’s why
the big locals and lobby groups (who control the big locals) would love to
change the voting structure. But it takes a bylaw change which is difficult.
Is there a more equitable voting structure? It’s worth reasonable discussion.
But what small local would come to the table with anything less than a Hell
No if their gut tells them that the exercise is a preliminary to reorganizing
the federation into a Big Locals Only club?
—————————————
Joe Parente writes in his letter: ‘The core issue is the philosophical
difference between the Federation and the RMA.’ What exactly IS the
philosophy of the Federation Mr. Parente? What is the philosophy that
would endorse having employers at a pre-negotiation strategy meeting?
What is the philosophy that would allow you and the other IEB representatives
to be unresponsive to calls, letters, emails, and text messages from the
people who hired you and pay you? Please tell us
——————————————–
[There is little competition for work between the larger and smaller
locals. Why then, is such ‘change’ being proposed? It makes no sense.
All locals will suffer if smaller locals are squeezed out of existence.
How can the pension and health funds survive without contributions
from a broad membership base?]
The writers of this diatribe display ignorance in abundance. How much
CBA work that require pension contributions do small locals actually
have? Since only two AFM Locals - 47 and 802 - have health plans,
their premise here is totally irrelevant.
[EDITOR'S COMMENT: Can you say the word orchestral? Also you can start
saying the work "recording" when the contracts are in line with the
real global situation. That elite mentality just comes shining through,
doesn't it?]
——————————————-
FROM THE COMMITTEE:
Unfortunately, the personal vendetta of the RMA officers against the AFM
President cannot be stopped by the AFM, since virtually all the attacks
come from the RMA and their minions to the AFM.
Funded by their RMA July checks; the gullibility of those in other places
in the country who think the RMA can deliver on promises of work they
themselves no longer have; and the rank and file RMA members being
soaked by misdirection, this will not stop until one of three things happen:
1) The RMA takes over the federation, which would be a disaster on all fronts
or
2) The Rank and File RMA members around the country wake up to the
fact that they are being played for fools by the dynastic duo and their
lackeys and force them to stop their petty attacks on our federation,
which do nothing but waste rank and file dues.
In fact, as irony would have it, only those RMAers who give money to
Fareplay are double charged. The Fareplay money goes to fund pointless
lawsuits against the Federation, and the Federation has to use ALL members
dues money to fight it. So the RMA rank and file are funding both sides.
or
3) The RMAers leave and create their own little union and leave the vast
majority of the AFM alone to move into the 21st century. Of course, they
leave their contracts here, and they’d never gets those benefits back.
Short of decent RMA members forcing their fellow RMAers to stop being
suckered by the dynastic duo, there is no end for this RMA pablum.
The Los Angeles Local (47) has been utterly corrupted, short of some
main office staff that still trying mightily to work for all the membership.
There is still time to save the rest of the Federation from these greedy,
petty people. Speak up, pro or con, but by all means SPEAK UP!
THE COMMITTEE
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June 17th, 2010 The Committee
I. THE RMA PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE RAY HAIR SPEAKS
II. RAY HAIR REBUTTALS
III. CANADIAN LOCAL LETTER
IV. COMMENTS
V. EVENTS
===========================
I. THE RMA PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE RAY HAIR SPEAKS
You can download the four page version of his letter announcing
his candidacy for the AFM Presidency at:
http://www.afmmatters.com/
Click the button on the left, third one down (2010 Campaign Letter)
Even the four pager is far too long to print here.
The letter tries to sound balanced, but is very negative and in attack
mode, and with all the RMA talking points. It was sent to the delegates.
We’ve received some excellent rebuttals to his letter. Since it’s unlikely
you would see these answers to Ray Hair otherwise, we’re including the
ones we received below.
=================================
II. RAY HAIR REBUTTALS
1) JOE PARENTE LETTER
We found this one the most powerful. Please take particular note
of the RMA’s demands to end the “war”.
JOE PARENTE
216 GLEN PLACE, ELKINS PARK, PA 19027
I’m writing this in response to the misrepresentation and omission of
facts contained in a letter from “Locals in Search of Unity” addressed to
the delegates, and endorsing Ray Hair for AFM President. Let me say at
the outset that I am in no way directing anything I am about to say
toward or against Ray, his politics, or his seeking any AFM office at this
year’s Convention. I am only focusing on statements in the first two
paragraphs of the letter you received.
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June 11th, 2010 The Committee
I. THE TWO PERCENT EXCUSE (COULD BE GONE)
— EDITORIAL—
II. IEB RESOLUTIONS for the convention
III. NON IEB RESOLUTIONS for the convention
IV. ANOTHER REASON NOT TO SUPPORT LOCAL 47 PRES. TROMBETTA FOR THE IEB
V. CANDIDATES FOR OFFICE
VI. COMMENTS
VII. EVENTS
===========================
I. THE TWO PERCENT EXCUSE (COULD BE GONE)
How did the RMA Vendetta against the AFM President begin, in a nutshell?
-Some years ago the RMA INTERNATIONAL OFFICERS offered to allow a
2% fee on special payments to help out the AFM.
-THE DYNASTIC DUO thought they’d bought themselves a President.
-President Tom Lee continued to work for the ENTIRE membership.
-Thus began the RMA Vendetta. not so much because of the 2%,
but because the president refused to be bought.
That brings us to
IEB RESOLUTION ONE
The RMA and the Local 47 Officers are complaining mightily about the
dues increase, but they’re not telling you the whole story. It’s a biggie.
Look at number 9 of the IEB Resolution one:
“Elimination of 2% work dues obligation on secondary market distributions
effective for distributions in 2011 and thereafter”.
OOPS:
This 2% was the dynastic duo’s whole Modus Operandi
-It was the stated reason for the “war”.
-It was the stated reason for the creation of Fareplay.
-It was the stated reason for the lawsuits.
-It’s what they used to bilk RMA Rank and File for thousands of dollars.
No one likes dues increases, but in this downturn, virtually every organization
and group is increasing fees for members. We are no different.
THE BOTTOM LINE:
If the IEB Res. I passes, dues go up but the stated excuse for
the RMA vendetta is gone, laying bare the duo’s vendetta for what it is,
a personal crusade against the AFM President for not being bought; and
the DUO suckering hundreds of their own members out of their money.
If the IEB Res. I fails, dues don’t go up and the 2% work dues on special
payments continues, and also the RMA’s excuse for the “war”.
Odd how neither the Local 47 officers nor the RMA mentions this part of the
resolution. It’s called intellectual fraud.
WE RECOMMEND A YES VOTE ON IEB RESOLUTION #1
THE COMMITTEE
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June 4th, 2010 The Committee
I. DELEGATE BINDING LETTER
II. A DEPRESSING “WE TOLD YOU SO”
III. FEATURED COMMENT
IV. ASMAC GOLDEN SCORE RESCHEDULED FOR JULY 22ND!
V. COMMENTS
VI. EVENTS
===========================
TROUBLE ON BOTH COASTS, COURTESY OF THE RMA
Colleagues,
In Section one you will read a letter from a 47 member
about the 47 board and their RMA overseers deception of the rank
and file, using misdirection and misrepresentation in our Overture
and upending bylaws to illegally bind the delegates.
In section two you will read a letter that comes as the result of the
802 president acting as a total patsy for the RMA, just as he was
elected to do.
FAIR WARNING
At the upcoming convention, ALL delegates must join forces to fight
off the RMA cancer on our Federation. We must all work to stop RMA
surrogates from gaining positions in our national administration.
Wherever they go, destruction for the majority follows.
We’ll be telling you all about it, and our thoughts on the resolutions
in the next mailing.
THE COMMITTEE
===========================
I. DELEGATE BINDING LETTER
The following was received by the Local 47 board and the
international Secretary-Treasurer:
June 3, 2010
Local 47 Executive Board
c/o Leslie Lashinsky, Secretary-Treasurer
817 N. Vine Street
Hollywood CA 90038
cc: AFM International Secretary-Treasurer
Re: Improper Binding of Delegates
Dear Secretary Lashinsky,
Here we are again facing the same issues as those that faced
this Local just before the last National Convention. The binding
of the delegates can only take place at the General Membership
meeting prior to the Convention. It was not done properly three
years ago, failing to give proper „due notice‰ and the binding
of the delegates had to be thrown out. We find our Local in
violation of our own bylaws again this year.
Prior to the last convention, the leadership of the RMA sought to
bind the delegates only to discover that „due notice‰ in our
Overture was not given to the membership. The RMA flooded the
Local 47 membership meeting to slam dunk the binding vote.
The vote was very quietly nullified a few weeks later.
Here we are once more. The bylaws were not followed. Our bylaws
require a specific location for notice to the membership in the “call
of the meeting” within our publication. The Bylaws are very specific
requiring where the notice is to be placed. “Due Notice of the right
of the membership to instruct delegates shall be included in the
call of the meeting.” - Local 47 Bylaws, Article 8, Section 7.” President
Trombetta, in response to a members challenge, incredibility ruled
that the whole Overture constituted „due notice‰. I will argue that
it does not. Why else would the bylaws be so specific? President
Trombetta cited no precedent nor offered any reasons for his decision.
The rationale for the location of such a notice is that upon receipt of
our union paper, we should be able to read in the “call of the meeting”
what is to be considered at the next General Membership meeting. A
misplaced and improper posting did not give the general membership
clear and obvious notice that consideration would be taken on this
specific issue. It is my contention that quoting the relevant bylaw at
the back of the newspaper does not constitute notice.
The RMA sent out separate notices via email. The issue is not that the
RMA urged their membership to come and have their voice heard, only
that the balance of the 7000+ membership did not see the notice
“conspicuously posted” in the location prescribed by our bylaws. In light
of the politics at Local 47 which is often cast as the RMA versus the (non-
RMA) rank & file members; this event is seen as a slight of hand by the
Local 47 administration to hide the vote on binding the delegates from
the general membership.
Since Counsel Lewis Levy is or should be well aware of the administrative
law and rulings regarding the „prominent and conspicuous‰ notice, he
will certainly advise you as to the risk the Board takes if it tries to enforce
a binding of our delegates that was improperly obtained.
Finally, the goal of the LMRDA is to promote fairness in the representation
of union members. A binding of the delegates intimates that majority of
the membership has agreed that all the elected delegates Œmust vote as
a bloc‚, casting all our votes with the majority decision of our delegation.
Any tie among the delegation to be broken by President Vince Trometta.
In addition, our delegates have been given an express directive to vote
against any dollar increases in contribution to the AFM without even
consideration or negotiation.
The editors of our Overture did not properly adhere to the specific bylaw
requirements regarding the publication of „due notice‰. This is an
indisputable fact. It is an embarrassment when respected colleagues ignore
the importance of rules and the necessary restrictions they require.
I urge the Executive Board of Local 47 to nullify the invalid vote taken at
the April 26, 2010 General Membership Meeting regarding the binding
of our AFM Convention Delegates.
In Solidarity,
Member
Local 47, AFM
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