I. CORRECTION: REFERRAL COMMITTEE’S MOTION I
II. MUSICIANS FOR A BETTER ADMINISTRATION – ANOTHER RMA PRODUCTION?
III. THE MILLION DOLLAR DEMAND
IV. COMMENTS
I. CORRECTION: REFERRAL COMMITTEE’S MOTION I
In our last mailing we described the REFERRAL SERVICE COMMITTEE’S
first motion in part: Make Sam Chates (the Referral Service employee) full time
with benefits.
A member of the Referral Service Committee was kind enough to send along
this correction: The motion was to URGE the EB to CONSIDER making Sam
Chates a full-time employee.
This will be an even better test for the board. Making Sam Chates full time was
obviously the intent of the motion and the desire of the membership that wants
the Referral Service fully restored. Will they do the right thing?
We shall see.
II. MUSICIANS FOR A BETTER ADMINISTRATION –
YET ANOTHER RMA PRODUCTION?
As a recognized players conference, the RMA is not allowed to take part in
political activities. To do so is a serious infraction.
How do we know the MUSICIANS FOR A BETTER ADMINSITRATION
is another RMA production, or at the very least the RMA webmasters’ project?
If you received the e-mail, unsubscribe and see what you get as a reply.
Another member sent us this note:
I received the email from the “Musicians for a better Administration”.
When I un-subscribed I received an email that confirmed that I had
un-subscribed from the RMA newsletter. Do you think there might be a
connection?
No doubt within an hour of this mailing the loophole will be eliminated, if it
hasn’t been already. We have since confirmed this connection with other
members who unsubscribed.
Will the National AFM or NLRB find this interesting? WE sure do.
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III. THE MILLION DOLLAR DEMAND
Remember a few weeks ago when the RMA sent out an email saying that the
LOCAL was demanding and/or due a return of dues collected on certain jobs
from the AFM? The Local never sent out one to this effect, only the RMA did,
using little phrases like, “Imagine what the Local could do with that money?
It will come as no surprise that the RMA thinks this money is due to them and
only them.
Read this item from the October 12th, 2007 edition of the HOLLYWOOD
REPORTER.
——–
Recording body seeks major refund
Staff report
Oct 12, 2007
The Recording Musicians Association of Los Angeles is demanding its parent
organization, the American Federation of Musicians, refund more than $1 million
dollars in work dues the local group claims it was improperly charged.
The dispute involves contracts for videogames, TV telethons, basic cable shows
as well as film and television scoring. The refund demand is part of an ongoing
effort by local recording musicians to secure a greater voice in AFM decisions.
—————-
Here is the link: http://tinyurl.com/3acbsh
See any mention of the LOCAL being due the money? Any mention at all?
Neither did we. Once again it’s “One for them and ALL for them”.
:
Too bad for them that a second labor lawyer and a second entertainment lawyer
have told us, “You do the work you pay the dues, END OF STORY”. Will any
members who gave the RMA leadership more money for this quest dare to ask
for it back… and chance losing their place on “the list”? Not likely.
The RMA members have been taken again.
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IV. COMMENTS
The comments below are the views of the contributors and not
necessarily those of the COMMITTEE.
—————-
In review of recent events, it is ( Ray Charles) obvious
that we indeed have an employer dominated union that will call
out the troops who, (beyond their directed duty,) have no interest
in the “minor details” of governance ( anything outside the scope
of their immediate participation). This was again evidenced by the
mass exodus once the votes were cast. It was fortunate that the
quorum to conduct business at a general membership meeting is
50…..I suppose this was the bone granted to us little people to
give us the illusion that we could participate on some level.
We need to put out a balanced assessment of the evenings goings
on: Once again, our Union Hall was graced with the presence of
“many are called, but few are chosen group”…they voted, paid
homage and immediately left the scene leaving the “little people
to carry the water” for the balance of the meeting. For those that
say the Union does nothing for them, it is because they have no
invested interest in the leadership….the RMA does.
—————
Hello ________, I hope this is not too much.
NEWS FLASH! RMALA/PMG WINS THE RACE TO THE BOTTOM!!
The top contractor in LA put a call out for a 1 hour demo
session that paid a grand total of $25.00. It paid benefits, too.
Leslie is right. You Beck objectors had better re-join the union
before it gets worse! And stop working buy outs for $75.00 an
hour. That’s shameful! RMALA/PMG is going to take all the work
from you guys anyway. Hopefully, when that composer makes
it big he won’t go to Prague like U know who in the late 80’s.
—————
Dear Committee,
Bravo, bravo, bravo!!!
—————
Please cool it on the vitriolic dialogue.
I salute you on wiping out the rampant apathy that used to exist re:
Local 47 Meeting attendance!
But, don’t be so mean-spirited in your attacks, it only reflects badly
on your intelligence.
—————-
Rovian tatics?
I thought that the Committee was non partisian. why bring national
politics into the mix? Rovian is a perjorative for our Brother and Sister
musicians that are GOP members. Remember the country is split 50-50.
When you use a partisian term assuming that all the people you intend to
reach agree with you 100% you just sound like the same old business as
usual political hack.
Come on–I know you can do better than that.
—————
Hi, Chris Tedesco here. Some of you who may have read in September’s
Overture saw my name in the resigned from the union listing. It was
correctly printed but I have since RE-INSTATED. I actually resigned
about 6 months ago, but was lumped in with many others in the Sept issue.
The reason for all this is I wanted members to ask me….”you resigned?….
you are one of the biggest flag wavers I know. What’s up with that?”
Well, I’ll tell ya. I DID NOT resign to do sessions with New Era scoring.
There are no sessions with them. I heard through the grapevine the only
sessions they have done is for the guy that owns it. Outside clients just don’t
want the association.
I did publicly speak about them and their upcoming storm. My only fault out
here is speaking my mind in public to other musicians and anyone that will
listen about my rants on Runaway scoring, for which I do not have an answer.
One comment is that the Runaway scoring issue needed to be squashed about
12 years ago when Seattle started stealing our work. We probably had shot then.
I resigned because I was fed up about a few of the issues that I feel strongly
about and the lack of movement toward any resolution or solutions. I file more
contracts than anyone I know regarding live employment and fight for every
contract recording wise as well. I file “true” demo contracts for many of the
jingles and projects I play on that end up not “going final”. Ask around and
see if you DON’T hear that I am a RABID fan of the union and it’s benefits.
You have to learn how to make the union work for yourself. Ask not what
the union can do for you, ask what you can do for your union.
There are things going on with the local and the AFM, things going on
between the RMALA and the Committee, etc. , etc. I just couldn’t take it
anymore. The in-fighting continues with great division. But, everyone has
an interest to protect and a right to an opinion. I am not one to keep my
opinions to myself either.
I am a full member again in good standing and currently playing trumpet
and filing contracts.
Chris Tedesco
—————
Support Shubach,
Years ago, rex Reed was a popular reviewer of film. It seemed to me that
everything he liked, I hated. His reviews were non the less helpful in a
“If he likes it, I’ll save my money and stay away” kind of way. Thus when
I see Trombeta endorsing Lashinsky, that’s good enough evidence for me.
Shubach’s my choice.
A 35 year member.
——————
I received that disgusting email against Charles Fernandez on Saturday…and
the brutal attacks on David…wow!
it’s really mean spirited….not that the commresp people haven’t done some
criticizing but, they aren’t doing personal attacks…..the comm resp is just
reporting the truth and calling them on their stuff and how they are handling
business….
our officers and board are attacking the characters of Charles and David
and the comm rep people (whoever they are)
i don’t like it and i wonder why they feel soooo intimidated or afraid of them
and the comm rep people….except that the comm resp are keeping them on their
toes and making them accountable for their actions.
like giving us a budget!!
i am at the meetings and see that you report the meetings in a firm and very
honest manner
They seem to be the kind of officers with the attitude of do as I say not as I
do
Why, when it was to Hal’s benefit did we start the meeting 30 minutes late?
A few years ago we had a majority a few minutes after 7 and he would not hold
a meeting!! There were tremendous rain storms and it took many quite awhile
to get there!
So starting the meeting all the time at 7:00 p.m. would only be the fair thing
to do!
Not just when you decide Mr. President!!
Once again..i just think fair is fair!! We had a majority at 7:00 p.m.
I really wonder what is really going on with this group of officers!
Why was it so much work to get a budget out of them?
That’s in the bylaws…they owe us that!
Something doesn’t feel right…it seems like they are fighting against us.
if feels like we are working for the union and the union’s not working
for us!
We are just trying to make a living as musicians and we just want help
from our union!
I am tired of the attitude from the rma!
Why did they leave after the voting was done??
There were other issues being discussed after the voting…the new
website and reports on our referral service!
Why didn’t they stay and support us? We all need to support each other!
Being at a union meeting is not my idea of a good time…but, we need to
support each other!
The blessing is that I have made some new and wonderful friends from all
the conflict!
Lisa Haley and your referral service committee – you are amazing!
and the committee….thank you for all you have done!!
Those of us who have gotten to know all of you through the drama…
know your character and know what wonderful people you are!!
Thank you!!
——————–
THANKS very much for your vigilance and your work. We know this is
not easy, and we really appreciate it.
——————–
Can we really be sure the votes were counted ‘honestly’ like in the Bush
election . . .?
(EDITOR’S NOTE: This vote was closely watched from beginning to end.
Even if someone wanted to interfere with it they would not have been able
to. This is because of the vigilance of Michelle Byrne and the rest of the
Election Board.)
——————–
thanks for all your good work, we’ve got saundra and her pissants
on the run !
——————–
if the Status Quo is so great and there is so much work for recording
out there, then why is the interim Sec/Treas bucking so much for this
job??? The reality is that there just is not enough work in the studios
anymore so she NEEDS this job.
The funny thing is – STILL no one is addressing the issue of runaway
scoring and doing anything about it.
STUDIOS ARE CLOSING.
MUSICIANS ARE QUITTING THE AFM
COMPOSERS ARE SICK OF HAVING TO GO OUT OF TOWN
TO RECORD
Even if we mustered up enough strength and everyone and paid the money
and joined the RMA – would we be able to get all the producers to buy into
the Secondary markets fund at this time? HELL NO – the options exist around
the globe to get product done without residuals. GAME OVER. If there was
no other global scoring options we would not be in this mess. HELLO, is this
on??
The AFM is going to start doing something about it and the local and the RMA
are up in arms. FOLKS, it is probably TOO LATE. LA has a bitter pill to swallow.
—————
I’d be more inclined to believe you guys if the writer would sign his or her name
to these long epistles you grind out.
—————-
You have one hell of a problem no one trust the other person.
Get it together
————–
I hope the services thing works out – keep on that –
————-
Very happy for your Union. Keep up the good work we are all in this
together
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Next time we’ll have a wrap-up of the last membership meeting.
Until next time,
THE COMMITTEE FOR A MORE RESPONSIBLE LOCAL 47