July 30th, 2010 The Committee
I. JULY LOCAL 47 MEETING A NON-STARTER
II. REFERRAL SERVICE MEMBER COMMENTS
III. SEATTLE MOVING FORWARD WITH RECENT SCORING PROGRAMS
IV. COMMENTS
V. CONCERTS AND EVENTS
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I. JULY LOCAL 47 MEETING A NON-STARTER
Monday night’s Local 47 General membership meeting was a non-starter.
No Quorum was reached.
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II. REFERRAL SERVICE MEMBER COMMENTS
They are seeing Sam’s quitting as an opportunity to quietly clean
house. Ray Garcia is the subcontracted in-house computer programmer.
Technically he is an independent non-political business person. He rents
an office from the union on the 2nd floor and is the computer system
contractor. But now they need a scapegoat. He makes good money
and the complaints about the website are finally registering. Bills for
computer services are consistently the second biggest expenditure,
right after legal services.
It is sad about John Acosta, the VP. There was no question that he has
to be a team player. He knows who he had to answer to. But there were
hopes that on issues of no impact to the studio crowd, he would find
ways to help the freelancers.
Obviously not.
I finally took a look at the referral service website. I almost fell out of my
chair. A long time ago I was given a demo of the referral service computer
program. What is on the website today is a stripped down, bare-bones
version of the program that was on the referral service computer 10 years
ago. Think about it - they shut down the referral service; stopped the flow
of jobs while the new & improved website was redesigned, and redesigned,
and redesigned, and then whoops back to the drawing board and redesigned
some more. (Including paying tens of thousands of dollars to a web designer
on the east coast that Trombetta hired who never produced anything at all.)
Until years and years went by and an un-knowable numbers of jobs were
lost for members, and the referral service was in-effect shut down waiting
for the new website. Even after hot debate by the membership and the passing
of a very strongly worded motion to restore & surpass the referral service’s
best record from the past glory days - which the administration totally ignored.
And then with great fanfare they announce that the new fancy referral service
website is up and running. When in fact they just stripped the referral service
computer program and slapped it on the website. Is this what we have been
waiting for all this time? Some of the categories are very confusingly placed.
Bearing in mind that it is the non-musician public trying to hire a band who
will be using the website, not a musician or a union staffer. Did any musician -
like the referral service committee - have any input into of any of this? Go
on the website and try to find a string quartet. I dare you.
When you finally find a category you see that there are pitifully few musicians
listed. This was accomplished by the policy of a yearly renewal requirement for
the referral service. Who wants to renew something that is doing nothing for you?
Hundreds of members and bands were dropped from the roster. So the self-fulfilling
prophesy is complete. The administration will say that they have complied with
the AFM requirement to have a referral service. But look - no bands are registered,
no jobs are coming in, and no one is being hired. Told ya so.
The recording studio is gone. The referral service will be gone soon. CD sales,
I don’t know, probably gone. Any benefit at all for rank & file musicians…
There’s a theme developing.
——————————————————————-
So, we have our Exec Board obviously insisting that:
- contrary to all good judgment and much-documented experience in
the business world…
- which any intelligent person can see in action all around them…
- somehow the business model that has made thousands of companies
successful
- (effective, persistent, outgoing advertising and personal contact,)
- somehow does not apply to the business which is our Referral Service.
- Not only does this course of action violate our Bylaws which state we
must have a physical (and impartial!) Referral Service, but
- It glaringly points out that FMA member Lisa was right - the intentions
of our Exec Board are to waylay all incoming jobs and illegally give them to
whomever they please…
- With no oversight and no impartiality whatsoever.
- BRING IN THE DOL NOW!!
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The incompetence and horrible management would be laughable if it
weren’t negatively impacting so many people.
Ultimately the buck stops with Vince, but if he’s got the cajones to hire nonunion
contractors and get away with it, and the membership doesn’t care, I imagine he’s
pretty much invincible when it comes to any other acts.
——————————————————————-
I’m not at all surprised that the RS is on its last (weak) legs. Is what Pres.
Trombetta et al doing violating Federal law? If so, why aren’t we bringing
legal action to compel certain Union execs to act in the best interests of
all Members and not just RMA? Failure to stop the machinations against
those not in the “magic 150″ will mean Local 47 is useless in terms of
being a union for all Members. As it is now.
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July 23rd, 2010 The Committee
I. SECRETARY CONTINUES ABUSES OF POWER
II. LETTER FROM LEN BERGANTINO re: SECRETARY LASHINSKY AND THE OVERTURE.
III. SEATTLE’S RMA CONNECTION
IV. COMMENTS
V. CONCERTS AND EVENTS
=================================
I. SECRETARY CONTINUES ABUSES OF POWER
Colleagues,
We’ve heard more and more of people who submit letters to
the Overture, perhaps complimenting members and their
performances, that the Secretary refuses to print because “she”
interprets them as self-serving or a way for those members to
make money.
Ironically, she never hesitates to print letters singing her own
praises.
As a reminder to all members:
PRINT THIS OUT AN INCLUDE IT IN ANY LETTER YOU SEND TO THE EDITOR
Under Section 4: The Secretary shall:
(i) serve as the editor of Overture, subject to the direction of the
Executive Board, with the right to censor material submitted, the
publication of which might constitute a violation of Federal law or might
involve the Local or any member thereof in litigation or bring either into
disrepute;
As the bylaw above states clearly, there are only two instances in which the
secretary can refuse to print a letter:
1) It might constitute a violation of Federal law
or
2) Might involve the Local or any member thereof in litigation or bring either
into disrepute;
If your letter does neither of the two things listed above and doesn’t run longer
than the word limit, the secretary CANNOT refuse to print your letter. As we see
it, the only thing putting the local’s Overture in a light of disrepute is the
Secretary’s conduct.
Secretary Lashinsky has been warned several times in the past that she has no
right to block the printing of letters on her own whim. Secretary Lashinsky has
had been quoted the bylaw printed above several times. Still, she knowlingly
denies the printing of perfectly appropriate “letters to the editor”. Is it a simple
power play? Is it simply her flaunting her “authority?” We don’t know and we frankly
don’t care, we just want her to follow the bylaws and stop abusing her power.
Our hats are off to Linda Ripka for her work at the Overture. None of the above
is directed at her.
THE COMMITTEE
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July 16th, 2010 The Committee
I. THE PASSING OF A FIGHTER
II. FEATURED MEMBER COMMENT
III. COMMENTS
IV. CONCERTS AND EVENTS
V. MR RMA’S CORNER - and MR. RMA JR.
=================================
I. THE PASSING OF A FIGHTER
We’ve received word that a frequent contributor to the COMMITTEE
blog and others, Rick Blanc, has passed away in Florida.
Les Benedict put it this way:
“In case you haven’t heard, Rick Blanc passed away a week or so ago in
Florida. I only have grapevine info, nothing first-hand, but evidently
he had been having serious health problems recently including a cancer
diagnosis. Kenny Shroyer is more in touch with the situation, and indeed
went to Florida to help Rick’s sister with the details. I knew Rick in
Hawaii when he was just a teenager, nearly 40 years ago. He seemed to
always have an opinion about something, and sometimes rubbed people the
wrong way, but he always thought carefully and thoroughly about what he
had to say. He was a very good musician, an excellent repairman, and to
me, a good friend.
Les Benedict”
——————————————-
Colleagues,
Rick Blanc was one of the few willing to speak up (where most others
stay silent) and suffer the crass, childish and incessant attacks his kind
of truth-telling always creates. He had been warning the federation and
the rank and file of the dangers of RMA rule for some time, warnings our
Federation (Now the RMA’s Federation) did not take seriously enough.
Another good voice has been silenced. There are far too few willing to
fight for the rights of everyone.
THE COMMITTEE
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July 9th, 2010 The Committee
SPECIAL REPORT
FMA-LA REPORT ON REFERRAL SERVICE MEETING WITH EXECUTIVE BOARD
=================================
Colleagues,
Within days of the Local declaring the Local 47 Referral Website up and running,
the Referral Service Committee was summarily dissolved by President Trombetta.
The RS Committee’s job was not done, there were four motions to be fulfilled,
yet the President dissolved it outright. The president of the FMA-LA, Lisa Haley
requested to appear at an Executive Board meeting. Below is the her report
and notes from members Helen Crosby and Harriet Katz, who attended as observers.
————————
FMA-LA REPORT ON REFERRAL SERVICE MEETING WITH EXECUTIVE BOARD
FMA-L.A. Report on the Executive Board (EB) Meeting with Lisa Haley
Report written July 6, 2010
Greetings fellow musicians:
I have endeavored for over a week to write to you a report on the June 29,
2010 meeting with our EB that would maintain decorum, avoid unnecessary
division, and move us all towards common agreement.
Unfortunately, in view of the events of the meeting, I have arrived at the
conclusion that it is not possible to do so. I must simply state what will
surely be reflected by our Secretary in the official Minutes of the meeting,
since the ideas brought forth and the discussions resulting at an EB
meeting must be made available to all members, as the EB was NOT
in executive session at the time.
Thank you to Helen Crosby and Harriet Katz, who attended as observers
and took notes. Helen’s notes are included in their entirety at the end
of my letter.
We are sure that our Local #47 Secretary’s notes will be far more
comprehensive.
Lisa Haley report:
At the General Meeting (GM) Oct 22, 2007, Live Performance/
Freelance members passed four Motions “to restore and then
surpass the highest operating level of the Referral Service.” (RS)
The Motions were extremely clear. A Referral Service Committee
was formed to oversee the completion of the Motions.
The deadline for completion was April, 2008.
Over two years later, we’re still waiting for the EB to fulfill the
will of the members. They have violated their deadline.
At the EB meeting on June 29, the following revelations were
made by EB members:
- A half-finished, static Referral Service website can take the
place of the real marketing and personal outreach which is
standard practice for any successful business. (This same marketing
expertise was the reason David Schubach and Errol Henry had
such a high level of work coming through the RS. Unfortunately,
Sam Chates was directed early on by the EB to put his efforts
elsewhere.)
- President Trombetta dismissed our Referral Service Committee
(RSC) - except he called it a ” Referral Service Website Committee.”
(Note the subtle change.)
Lisa Haley then stated the Referral Service Committee”s (RSC)
proper name as it is on the Passed Motions, (the word “Website”
does not appear,) and it was pointed out to the EB that the RSC
was to oversee the COMPLETION of all Passed Motions, not just
the website
- Secretary Lashinsky suggested that even though the Motions
passed unanimously, the fact that we only had a 53-person
quorum at the time of passage. (the Motions, having been
pushed to the end of the GM, when many members had gone
home) Somehow that made the passage less valid?
This is such a shocking suggestion that it goes to the very
core of what a Union is. If our very Officers are not going to
abide by our Bylaws and the will of the members, (which set
Quorum at 50 some years ago due to the percentage of rank
and file members actually interested in and /or able to attend
meetings) or suggest some members’ votes are perceived to be
less “valid” than others, those allowing such a departure from
our Bylaws and basic Unionism should not be representing that
they have sworn to uphold our laws.
- Our Secretary also suggested that members registered with
the Referral Service cannot be depended upon overall to do a
quality job for clients who request Union musicians. That the
very “lottery system” put in place by the EB to prevent favoritism
would somehow allow our remaining clients to receive a musically
substandard quality of performance.
Again, this is such a shocking suggestion that one HAS to look
at an alternative motive.
We can only assume that the alternative is to allow our Officers to
“Pick and Choose” who gets the work. Unfortunately, this violates
Federal law, as well as our Local #47 Bylaws which state that we must
have an impartial Referral Service in order to avoid blatant favoritism.
With a very heavy heart, I report that Sam Chates has quit his position
as Referral Service Administrator.
I call on all members to look into any instance of work coming in to
the Referral Service that was diverted in any way and taken advantage of
by those who believe that illegal favoritism, diversion of work from equally
deserving members, and subterfuge are normal and necessary to our
Union”s future.
I also call on members in good standing to attend the Fall GM on Oct 25,
2010, and Vote into place a Bylaw change that states:
“Every Local #47 Executive Board meeting shall be recorded in its entirely
(except those portions done in Executive Session,) and the resulting
recording be available in the Members’ Only section of the Local #47
website, for all members in good standing to review.”
Perhaps this will stop the disturbing developments to which I was
unfortunately a witness at the June 29 meeting.
Fraternally Yours,
Lisa Haley
President
FMA-L.A.
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July 2nd, 2010 The Committee
I. WE ALL LOSE ANOTHER ONE - Don James Passes
II. RMA TAKES CUE FROM THE COMMITTEE
III. FLORIDA MEMBER SEARCH REQUEST
IV. COMMENTS (THE ANTI-COMMITTEE EDITION)
V. CONCERTS AND EVENTS
=================================
I. WE ALL LOSE ANOTHER ONE - Composer/Arranger Don James Passes
June and July thus far have been a tough time for losing colleagues.
Composer/Arranger Don James Passes away just a few days ago.
Don James was born in Chicago, Ill. in 1938. He attended Hyde Park High
School where his classmate and best four-hand jamming friend was
Herbie Hancock. He graduated from the Chicago Musical College
of Roosevelt University as a music composition major and piano
minor. Don later studied in Paris at the Ecole Normale de Musique
with an emphasis on counterpoint, dechiffrage (sight-reading),
piano and composition. His teacher was Nadia Boulanger with
whom he studied on a bi-monthly basis.
Upon returning to the United States Don worked with Cy Touff for
over a year at the Happy Medium in Chicago and began his recording
and arranging career. After a two year period in the Army as a Band
Training Instructor, Don returned to Chicago where he worked as a
conductor/pianist/arranger for many record dates and industrial shows.
In 1969 Don returned to France where he co-composed the music for
the Lido de Paris with a French team. Three more shows followed and
he then moved to Los Angeles to begin composing, arranging and
orchestrating for the Ice Capades doing 13 seasons from 1974 -
1986 with another show in 1992.
Don returned to Paris doing 4 shows for the Moulin Rouge. He then
returned to the United States to work on many Television Variety shows
where he won two Emmy Awards. One for Ben Vereen - His Roots and
Baryshnikov on Broadway. This was followed by work on the Tim Conway
Show as dance arranger for the Don Crichton Dancers and the dance
arranger for the “Mermaids” on Love Boat.
Animation music work followed for DIC and Hanna-Barbera. Some of
the shows include The Smurfs, Paddington Bear and The Wizard of
Oz (animated).
Don had worked on about 25 feature films as arranger, orchestrator
and, at times, ghost composer. Some of the films include Assassination,
Messenger of Death, Crime and Punishment, The Fifth Monkey and
Those Lips, Those Eyes.
He will be dearly missed by the musical community.
THE COMMITTEE
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