I. MEMBER COMMENTARY
\nII. FACING THE MUSIC
\nIII. EVENTS<\/p>\n
…Absolutely guaranteed anonymity – Former Musician’s Union officer
\n…The one voice of reason in a sea of insanity – Nashville ‘first call’
\nscoring musician
\n…Allows us to speak our minds without fear of reprisal – L.A. Symphonic musician
\n…Reporting issues the Musicians Union doesn’t dare to mention – National touring musician<\/p>\n
Name Withheld<\/p>\n
*** NEXT MEMBERSHIP MEETING IS MONDAY, JANUARY 25TH ***<\/p>\n
===================================<\/p>\n
I. MEMBER COMMENTARY<\/p>\n
Did the Local Officials mismanage their fiduciary duties?<\/p>\n
With all attention solely placed on the sale of Local 47
\nproperty here are some questions to consider that preceded
\nthis historical event.<\/p>\n
1. What has the locals elected officials demonstrated to maintain
\nsolvency of the union falling short of selling the property?<\/p>\n
2. Did the previous administration mismanage the union, lead
\nby president Trombetta and Espinosa before him, before
\nhanding over a financial faulty union to the next administration?<\/p>\n
3. Why was $15,000 dollars spent on a PR firm rather then
\nspending the money more wisely to hire a company to
\nevaluate the union’s financial distressed situation and
\nconsider other alternatives to financial solutions rather
\nthen the quickest short-term solution to liquidate the
\nlocal’s property?<\/p>\n
4. Was a short-term fix prudent for a long-term current
\nproblem with the potential to inevitable raid and deplete
\nthe excess cash from the sale of the property?<\/p>\n
5.What makes more sense continue to pay down $50,000
\na year against a loan, according to the local 47 Accountant
\n“did not have the authority to be made in the first place”,
\nor pay $100,000.00 a year on real estate taxes for the
\nunions foreseeable future?<\/p>\n
6. Which organized group has been influencing and directing
\nthe local which put the union in despair and into this situation
\nin the first place?<\/p>\n
7. Have the last two elected presidents subscribed to this
\ngroups influence in order to receive their lucrative salary?
\nThe same group that voted titled officers an increase years
\nago when work was disappearing and still went and voted
\nthe top officials a raise for “a job well done on their behave”
\nwhose behave? “Heck of a Job, Brownie time”<\/p>\n
8. Is it time for the union to stop being guided by a group
\nwhose interest is exclusively in their own benefit at the cost
\nof the majority of the 7000 membership? <\/p>\n
9. Why do you think the same 200 voting members were
\npersuaded or advised through directed calls from “Dateline
\nAnswering Service” to show up at union meetings over the
\nlast two decades? The same 200 whose decisions were
\ndirected by support from an inside group that lead to
\nthe demise of the local through loss of work they refused to
\ndo.<\/p>\n
10. Through a pattern of pandering have past elected titled
\nofficials and elected board mishandle their fiduciary duties? <\/p>\n
====================================<\/p>\n
II. FACING THE MUSIC
\n\u00a0
\nA few quick facts.
\n\u00a0
\n-The local has less than a million dollars left in the bank.
\n-They could have gotten the membership on their side with the sale
\nif they\u2019d not chosen at every turn to be dishonest, secretive and underhanded.\u2019<\/p>\n
For example:
\nThe membership should have been told IN JULY that the building
\nwas going to be listed to get a sense of it\u2019s worth. While they say
\nthey\u2019d talked about it since February, and mentioned it in a few
\nreports, a mention in a report is not a formal announcement to
\nthe membership of the intent to sell, regardless of the machinations
\nof the officers and counsel to paint a different picture of reality.<\/p>\n
-The board created suspicion by taking down the main listing within
\ndays after a member asked about why it was there.
\n-The board created major distrust by purposefully pulling a bait
\nand switch of the meeting on the October 5th, 2015 meeting,
\ntaking what was definitely billed as a Local 47 meeting and changing
\nit to a \u201cclub 47 meeting\u201d, restricting the member input. The only
\nevidence was the inside cover of the overture which conveniently
\nwas sent out one day before the 5th. Tricky that.
\n-Then trying the same thing from the opposite direction at
\nthe membership meeting later in the month. Saying a motion
\ncould not be made because it was not a Club meeting. Now
\nthat\u2019s cojones.
\n-Misdirection again and again and frankly, abhorrent conduct on
\nthe part of the board and their mistreatment of the rights of the
\nmembers to know what is being done in their name.
\n\u00a0
\nOnly the board is responsible for the distain in which they are
\ncurrently held by a majority of the membership because of their
\nunderhanded conduct, regardless of whatever supposed legitimacy
\nof their project exists. Their conduct will lead many to say,
\n\u201cIf it\u2019s what they want I\u2019m against it, because they cannot be
\ntrusted.\u201d<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s the Irony,<\/p>\n
The recent administrations of Local 47 (Over the past 15-20
\nyears or so) have run the Local into a ditch. Monies are down
\nbecause they cow-tow to the most selfish among us, a small
\ncadre of RMA leadership and hardliners, who, using the IEB as
\ntheir puppets, block any progress in contracts to make us
\ncompetitive in the world market and bring work back. Those
\nfew, seeing the not-so-slow slow death of the Local\u2019s finances
\nand work, don\u2019t care as long as their July checks are secure.<\/p>\n
Indeed the conduct of past leadership of the RMA along
\nwith their puppets at Local 47 and the AFM are in large
\npart the authors and finishers of the situation we find
\nourselves in.<\/p>\n
TECHNOLOGY
\n\u00a0
\nCertainly technology has played a role, Like being able
\nto sit in your studio here and record live with orchestras
\nall over the world on a BUYOUT basis) and new recording
\noptions in places as far flung as Macedonia, Nashville (Now
\ndoing movies as well), Canada, Mexico, France, London,
\nPrague, Bratislava, most recently Vienna, etc, etc.<\/p>\n
The fact is however, If the RMA\u2019s boy at the AFM and the
\nRMA Leadership had not alienated entire industries, made
\nenemies with the obnoxious conduct of AFM officers and\u00a0
\nbowed to the RMA\u2019s every whim, we might still have a
\nmajor place in the recording market.
\n\u00a0
\nWhen the situation arises where the only people who\u2019ll
\nwork with us are those who are forced to by contracts,
\nor the lack of recording availability in London, its only a
\nmatter of time until they can break the contract and we\u2019ll
\nnever see them again. Nor do we deserve to.<\/p>\n
We my not have a choice but to sell the building, because
\nthe financial situation has become that dire, thanks to
\ngreed, incompetence and neglect, to the benefit of a few\u2026
\n\u00a0
\nBACK THE TRUCK UP
\n\u00a0
\nBut really, why bother? Why not let the slide continue until the
\nLocal is no longer self-sustaining and dies.
\n\u00a0
\nWhy?
\n\u00a0
\nSimple. The ONLY way this Local will survive in the long term is
\nto take control of our contracts back from the RMA, shut them
\nout so some real advances can be made. Without major structural
\nchanges to the inner workings of the AFM and the Local and
\nthe expulsion of the RMA from it\u2019s controlling interest, selling
\nthe building and getting a new one will only delay the inevitable
\ndemise. We need new income, from every market possible.
\n\u00a0
\nEventually, those millions will be gone if the sale goes through,
\nsince not enough money is coming in for the Local to prosper.
\nNot without an increase in work and dues. It will simply take
\nlonger to die. It\u2019s not brain surgery, it\u2019s economics.<\/p>\n
The fact is if we cannot make in a building that is paid for
\nwe cannot make it period.<\/p>\n
The solution to bring work back is relatively simple.
\nThere are sessions happening everyday, only they\u2019re dark.
\nCreate a buyout contract for: Video Games, Trailers, Libraries,
\nSamples, low budget films, limited pressings, festivals, etc.
\nAll are now being done elsewhere or non-union.<\/p>\n
Every session we bring back on contract is dues money
\nfor the Local, monies that the Local is not seeing now.
\nContractor\u2019s who\u2019ve been spoken to say they could get
\nthe work back with buyout contracts, and a new crew
\nof players who\u2019ve not alienated producers.<\/p>\n
WHILE WE\u2019RE AT IT<\/p>\n
Why is the Local telling folks who are doing dark dates
\nto \u201cJust keep it on the down low and it\u2019s fine\u201d, while
\ntrying to destroy folks who are doing it the right way,
\npaying dues to the local and becoming fi-core so they
\ncan legally do both union and non-union jobs? The Local
\nis charging fi-core folks almost the same dues per year
\nas regular members. <\/p>\n
Show us folks who\u2019ve never done a non-union event
\nand I show you an empty room. EVERYONE has done
\nnon-union, non-contract work, at least those who are
\nfi-core feel strongly enough to take a real stand and
\nnot just get assurances from the Local\u2019s president that,
\n\u201cYou\u2019ve been a good member all these years, just keep
\nit quiet.\u201d<\/p>\n
We need to build the future of this Local, and pry away
\nthose who care only about themselves at the expense
\nof everyone else.<\/p>\n
We NEED to get the middleclass that\u2019s left back to work,\u2026
\nthat\u2019s what Seattle did,\u2026 and more recently Nashville.<\/p>\n
And thus endeth the rant you probably stopped reading
\na few paragraphs ago.<\/p>\n
THE COMMITTEE
\n
\n===================================<\/p>\n
III. EVENTS<\/p>\n
DEAN AND RICHARD<\/p>\n
DEAN AND RICHARD are now playing every third Friday
\nat Culver City Elks 7:30pm-10;30pm,
\n11160 Washington Pl.
\nCulver City, 90232
\n310-839-8891<\/p>\n
————————————-<\/p>\n
LA WINDS JAZZ KATS 584<\/p>\n
NO COVER, NO MINIMUM.
\nEvery 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month at Viva Cantina
\n7:30-10:00.
\n900 Riverside Drive, Burbank.<\/p>\n
Free parking across the street at Pickwick Bowl.
\nCome hear your favorite charts played the way they
\nshould be. <\/p>\n
We are in the back room called the Trailside Room. <\/p>\n
Come on down. Guaranteed to swing.<\/p>\n
—————————————–<\/p>\n
1\/23\/15<\/p>\n
San Fernando Valley Symphony Orchestra
\nJames Domine, Music Director, Presents\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n
In Concert
\nSaturday Evening, January 23, 2016, 8:00 PM<\/p>\n
Tutor Family Center for the Performing Arts\u00a0
\nat Chaminade<\/p>\n
Program:<\/p>\n
Tchaikovsky
\nManfred Symphony<\/p>\n
Tchaikovsky
\nRococo Variations
\nErnest Carbajal, Jr., cellist<\/p>\n
Fernandez – Los Angeles Premier
\nThe Statue, Movement VI: The Lovers<\/p>\n
Tickets are available\u00a0on our website
\n\u00a0http:\/\/www.sfvsymphony.com\/
\nAt the Theater Box Office\u00a0
\nBy calling \u00a0(818) 347- 4807<\/p>\n
—————————————–<\/p>\n
1\/30\/2016<\/p>\n
SESSIONS AT THE LOFT:
\n‘IMPROVISATORY MINDS” –
\nChamber Concert<\/p>\n
1\/30\/16 – 7:30pm
\n2465 Ventura Blvd
\nCamarillo, CA 93010<\/p>\n
$25 (reception included)<\/p>\n
bree@sessionsattheloft.com<\/p>\n
—————————————–<\/p>\n
2\/6\/16<\/p>\n
EVENING WITH DICK WELLS AND FRIENDS<\/p>\n
7:30 PM
\nSessions at the Loft
\n2465 Ventura Blvd,
\nCamarillo, CA 93010<\/p>\n
$25 (reception included)<\/p>\n
bree@sessionsattheloft.com<\/p>\n
—————————————–<\/p>\n
2\/19,20,21\/16<\/p>\n
The EUROPEAN CONCERT TRIO
\n will present the premiere of Paul GIbson’s
\n“The Shepherd’s Lot”
\nin three February concerts.<\/p>\n
Harriet Fraser (soprano),
\nAmanda Walker (clarinet)
\nIrina Bazik (piano)<\/p>\n
Winners of the 2015 Beverly Hills National Auditions<\/p>\n
The European Concert Trio was formed in 2015 by
\nthree European-born, Los Angeles-based professional
\nartists, each having already established successful solo
\ncareers, to fulfill their passion for chamber music and
\nshare it with Southern California audiences.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Fri, FEB 19 \u2013 Encinitas \u2013 7:30pm
\nThe City of Encinitas presents
\nMusic by the Sea concert series
\nEncinitas Library
\n540 Cornish Drive
\nTickets: $13, plus fee. Purchase tickets in advance here.
\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sat, FEB 20 \u2013 Torrance \u2013 3pm
\nClassical Crossroads &
\nFirstServe Community Services present
\nThe Interludes concert series
\nFirst Lutheran Church & School
\n2900 W. Carson Street
\nTickets: FREE, donations appreciated. Information here.
\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sun, FEB 21 \u2013 Beverly Hills \u2013 2pm
\nMusic in the Mansion concert series
\nGreystone Mansion
\n905 Loma Vista Dr.
\nTickets: $20. Information here.
\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
================================<\/p>\n
You can read all previous offerings at:http:\/\/www.responsible47.com
\nUNTIL NEXT TIME,
\nTHE COMMITTEE FOR A MORE RESPONSIBLE LOCAL 47<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I. MEMBER COMMENTARY II. FACING THE MUSIC III. EVENTS …Absolutely guaranteed anonymity – Former Musician’s Union officer …The one voice of reason in a sea of insanity – Nashville ‘first call’ scoring musician …Allows us to speak our minds without fear of reprisal – L.A. Symphonic musician …Reporting issues the Musicians Union doesn’t dare to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-149","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-committee-newsletters"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.responsible47.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/149","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.responsible47.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.responsible47.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.responsible47.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.responsible47.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=149"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.responsible47.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/149\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.responsible47.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=149"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.responsible47.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=149"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.responsible47.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=149"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}