3\/23\/18
\nI. MUSICIAN ABUSE STORY NOW IN THE MEDIA
\nII. A MOLE ON THE BOARD?
\nIII. LOCAL DOES THE RIGHT THING (NO, REALLY)<\/p>\n
IV. COMMENTS<\/p>\n
V. EVENTS<\/p>\n
…Absolutely guaranteed anonymity – Former Musician’s Union officer\u2028\u2028’<\/p>\n
…The one voice of reason in a sea of insanity – Nashville ‘first call’\u2028scoring musician<\/p>\n
…Allows us to speak our minds without fear of reprisal – L.A. Symphonic musician<\/p>\n
…Reporting issues the Musicians Union doesn’t dare to mention – National touring musician<\/p>\n
=========================<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I. BULLIED MUSICIAN GOES PUBLIC – from SLIPPED DISC website<\/p>\n
Here is the full story in the media of the musician’s story – you
\ncan also watch the video of her being harassed by Grayson.<\/p>\n
Luanne Homzy, a gifted musician who was concertmaster at Colburn as a
\nstudent, says she has been bullied by\u00a0AFM Local 47 in a case of mistaken
\nidentity. The fight has cost Luanne $15,000.
\nHere\u2019s her post:
\nIn August of 2016, I found out through back channels that I was
\nbeing accused by AFM Local 47 for taking part in a non union
\nrecording session at which I was not present, yet one month later,
\nI was formally charged by the AFM. Erick Cruz (whose back
\nyou will see in this video \u2013 not able to look at me) made the
\nfraudulent claim that it was me in the photos he took of a
\nmusician walking on a street with a violin case.<\/p>\n
During the time between the leaking of the list of accused
\nmusicians and officially charging me, Mr. Cruz was given
\ninformation that I was in a different county at the time,
\nyet he and his \u201ccolleagues\u201d still went ahead with charging
\nme. As soon as I received the official charge in September
\n2016, my attorney, who I had made aware of the situation
\nwhen the information had been leaked to me in August
\n2016, replied with my phone location records and signed
\nreceipts from the day and time of the alleged session.
\nHowever, as you will see in this video from late October
\n2016, Gordon Grayson (who was recently fired from the
\nLocal) still hadn\u2019t removed my charge, more than 2 months
\nafter I had found out I was being falsely accused.<\/p>\n
I have since spent over $15,000 defending myself against
\nthe slanderous claims made about me and distributed with
\nintent by the Local, not to mention the harassment,
\nintimidation, false promises, and threats that would
\nfollow. I was presented with an unlawful NDA by the
\nlocal in exchange for a public apology and reimbursement
\nof approximately 40% of my legal fees (which at the
\ntime totalled to about 10K), yet if I were to breach the
\nagreement, I would owe the Local $10,000, and another
\n$20,000 if I breached it a second time. I refused to sign
\nsuch an agreement, so, tonight, I break my silence and
\nI ask for your solidarity as I take a stand for what is
\nright.<\/p>\n
Keeping silent will only allow them to keep getting away
\nwith their behavior and abuse of power, and I do not wish
\nupon anyone the mental, financial, and emotional misery
\nthey have intentionally inflicted upon me. The Union
\ncannot continue to abuse its members when they should
\nbe looking out for them. Shame on you Local 47.<\/p>\n
I am not alone, and there are numerous accounts of this kind
\nof union thuggery. I\u2019m collecting stories like mine for an
\nupcoming news feature, so please feel free to reach out to
\nme if you are (or someone you know is) interested in sharing
\ntheir story \u2014 my wish is that this will bring awareness and
\nultimately put a stop to this kind of harassment.
\n(This is footage from my car\u2019s dash cam, from October 2016
\nwhen I was accosted by union officials in the parking lot of
\nLocal 47, after going in for help with filling out music prep
\nforms.)<\/p>\n
[EC: Watch the video: You could fill a dumptruck with the
\nBS spewed by Grayson]<\/p>\n
=========================<\/p>\n
II. THE LOCAL BOARD HAS A MOLE?<\/p>\n
Related comment from an anonymous source.
\nExecutive board to issue a public statement
\nregarding the victim of “misidentification.
\nPlan is to discredit claims….admin in
\nshambles. Female board member PG breaking
\nexecutive session confidentiality to
\ncolleagues and contractors attempting
\nto slam accuser.<\/p>\n
Board used as puppet.<\/p>\n
Watch what the local will do….
\nyou heard it here first.<\/p>\n
=========================<\/p>\n
III. LOCAL DOES THE RIGHT THING<\/p>\n
Message from Charles Fernandez:
\nAfter letters to the officers and much research
\nand evidence to back up my claim of double
\ncharging, the Local chose to send me refund
\ncheck for my 2018 dues.<\/p>\n
While this situation should never have happened,
\nI am grateful that someone at the Local saw that
\nthey needed to do the right thing.<\/p>\n
Would they have done the right thing if I had not
\nfound another musician in virtually the same
\nsituation that they refunded? Talk amongst
\nyourselves.<\/p>\n
You know what they say, “Even an broken clock…”<\/p>\n
This should serve as an example to members:
\nIf you choose Fi-Core status and have recently
\npaid your annual dues, you must be re-imbursed
\nby either refund of dues OR transfer of membership
\ndues to the fi-core fee.<\/p>\n
Charles Fernandez<\/p>\n
=================================<\/p>\n
IV. COMMENTS<\/p>\n
At that Village session, union cronies
\ntried to sneak in 3 times posing as
\nworkers, and have shown up at this
\ncomposers sessions several times.<\/p>\n
[EC: Their conduct toward the composer
\nis illegal.<\/p>\n
1) If he IS a union member, the union
\ncannot say squat about what they do.
\nThere is no COMPOSERS wing of the union.
\nIt’s truly none of their business what a
\ncomposer does.<\/p>\n
Composing is not covered in any union
\nscale.<\/p>\n
2) If he is NOT a union member, they
\nhave even less to say about the situation.
\nIt’s truly none of their business.<\/p>\n
Either way, the Local is looking to
\nget themselves served with a class action
\nlawsuit from composers and conductors if
\nthey don’t stop breaking the law and
\nback off.<\/p>\n
Conductor? None of your business.
\nComposer? None of your business
\nRemember that Mr. Acosta.]<\/p>\n
————————-<\/p>\n
Hopefully, John and Eric will be fired over this.<\/p>\n
————————-<\/p>\n
We need to get rid of special payments,
\nthey only benefit a few people.
\nThe VP can’t tell members to play
\nnon-union gigs and then bust them<\/p>\n
————————-<\/p>\n
From “TAKE BACK OUR LOCAL”<\/p>\n
Feel free to TEXT MESSAGE your “President”
\nJohn Acosta and let him know what YOU THINK
\nabout the job he is doing: 323-337-7631<\/p>\n
————————-<\/p>\n
I understand that unions need to represent
\nunion work but… they are hiring
\nrepresentatives that are second rate
\nwhich the 47 bored approves.<\/p>\n
Cause those bored people think they
\nhave a handle on it while pinching
\npennies at incompetent personnel
\nhoping the problem will be clinched
\nin the end.<\/p>\n
This is going to cost 47 some money.
\nWe all know how musicians are viciously
\ntaken out in La La Land behind close
\ndoors without hearing the other side.<\/p>\n
I found it interesting that they
\nsought her out in the parking
\nlot rather then in the building.<\/p>\n
————————-<\/p>\n
You seem to be expecting ethical conduct
\nfrom people who have been proven unethical.<\/p>\n
————————-<\/p>\n
At least keeping both payments for the whole
\nyear should not be a policy…perhaps some kind
\nof pro-rate? \u00a0Do you think that they do this to
\nincentivize people from going if-core during any
\ngiven year…having to pay more to a union that
\ndoes everything it can to keep union work
\nconfined to a few?<\/p>\n
————————-<\/p>\n
Interesting question….just what part of the
\nbylaws applies to the fi-core “members”?<\/p>\n
EC: No part of the bylaws mention or apply to
\nfinancial core musicians}<\/p>\n
================================<\/p>\n
V. EVENTS<\/p>\n
DEAN AND RICHARD \u2028are now at Culver City Elks<\/p>\n
the first \u2028Friday of \u2028every month.<\/p>\n
7:30pm-10:30pm,<\/p>\n
11160 Washington Pl.<\/p>\n
Culver City, 90232<\/p>\n
310-839-8891<\/p>\n
——————————————————<\/p>\n
HELIX COLLECTIVE COMPOSING OPPORTUNITY –<\/p>\n
DEADLINE, MARCH 25TH!<\/p>\n
Apply to have your original score performed live-to-
\npicture by Helix Collective at the 2018 Los Angeles
\nLive Score Film Festival!\u00a0Apply with a link to your
\nvideo reel and a PDF score.
\nApplication deadline: March 25, 2018
\nAPPLY HERE
\nMore info: www.lalsff.org
\nLASFF Trailer Video<\/p>\n
The Los Angeles Live Score Film Festival features
\nshort films with original scores performed live-to-
\npicture. The 2018 festival on Saturday, July 21st
\nat the Barnsdall Gallery Theatre is presented by
\nHelix Collective\u00a0in collaboration with the
\nAcademy of Scoring Arts. Films for the 2018 festival
\nare curated by the faculty at the New York Film
\nAcademy, Columbia College, Hollywood, and
\nthe L.A. Film School.<\/p>\n
Selected film composers are paired with a winning
\nfilmmaker to create an original score for the festival.
\nThe film is screened with the score performed live
\nby the renowned performance and recording ensemble,
\nHelix Collective. The screening includes an interview
\nwith the filmmakers and composers. Awards for Best
\nPicture and Best Musical Score are presented at the
\nclose of the festival.<\/p>\n
Now in it\u2019s fifth season, LALSFF\u2019s goal is to highlight
\nthe role of collaboration between composers and
\nfilmmakers. Acting like a talent agent, the festival
\nbrings experts in the two disciplines together. At the
\nscreenings, filmmakers and composers hear and
\nsee the work of new colleagues, meet new collaborators,
\nand establish working relationships with each other.<\/p>\n
Helix Collective www.helixcollective.net<\/p>\n
3\/25\/18
\nLA WINDS CONCERT THIS SUNDAY, MARCH 25TH
\nStars of the LA Winds!<\/p>\n
Come out and hear a concert featuring members of the
\nLA Winds as composers, arrangers and soloists!
\nGreg Anderson – Trumpet
\nCharles Fernandez – Arranger
\nMark Marcus, Saxophone
\nDebbie MacMurray – Piccolo
\nCaryn Rasmussin – Saxophone
\nAndrea Vancura – Composer
\nGabriel Velasco – Trumpet\/Flugel<\/p>\n
Join us afterwards for our Wine Tasting Reception! This
\nconcert takes place at the Performing Arts Center of Agoura
\nHigh School with a No host post-concert reception at the
\nBoar Dough Tasting Room in Agoura.<\/p>\n
Stars of the LA Winds | Wine Tasting Concert<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n