The Committee For A More Responsible Local 47

7/21/17

I. CAN’T WIN FOR LOSING

II. PENSION ACCOUNTABILITY ROADBLOCK

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 mention – National touring musician

===========================================

I. CAN’T WIN FOR LOSING

Instrumental Casting, a company owned by Contractor/Violinist

Jennifer Walton, who booked a non-union job for 68 musicians

at the Dolby theater a while back and didn’t hire union musicians

because she knew the Union would show up and target those union

musicians who played the job. She did it to protect them.

Now the AFM/Local 47 is going after her because union members

WEREN’T asked to play. It’s opposite day all over again. Sometimes

you truly cannot win for losing.

Here is a statement from Instrumental Casting:
Jennifer Walton recently contracted a 68 piece orchestra comprised

of non-union musicians, for a non-union client, at a non-union venue.

She knew the union would show up looking for union musicians

playing the gig in violation.  In her hiring emails, she alerted the

musicians that union reps would be present and insisted she’d

not allow any union musicians on the gig in order to protect them

from punishment.  At least one of the musicians she contacted

informed the AFM of her email in which she stated she would

not hire union musicians on this non-union gig.
AFM leafletted the rehearsal for her 68 piece orchestra gig and

also leafletted the patrons at the Dolby Theater where the

concert was held.  Jennifer filed a charge against the AFM

with the NLRB for selective enforcement, slander, and

harassment of the musicians and patrons.
AFM then filed a charge against Jennifer’s business,

Instrumental Casting, under which she contracted the

job, for unlawful discrimination against union players.

Their argument is that union players should decide

whether or not they will accept a non-union gig.

Jennifer Walton, of Instrumental Casting, offers

work for AFM, SAG, Fi-core, and non-union

musicians alike.

===========================================

II. PENSION ACCOUNTABILITY ROADBLOCK

We thank the Musicians for Pension Security for staying on this for us all!

MPS INFORMATION REQUEST TO THE AFM-EPF HITS ROADBLOCK

Dear Plan Participants,

You may have seen the latest AFM-EPF newsletter, stating, “Our trustees take seriously the commitment to more frequent, comprehensive communication” (June 2017, p.3). Last month, Musicians for Pension Security requested a series of documents. In addition, we asked specific questions concerning investments, expenses, lobbying costs and other subjects of vital importance. Not one of these requests
for information was honored.

In response, Executive Director Maureen Kilkelly simply referred MPS to the disclosure document inventory list on the AFM-EPF website. This list includes several years of actuarial and investment management information, and the copying cost to receive these documents. This information, as required by federal law, must be posted to their website. For our remaining requests, Ms. Kilkelly’s response speaks for itself, “We are not responding to the remaining requests.* ”

So what were the requests that the trustees refused to respond to?
•    We asked for the minutes of trustee meetings, as well as minutes of the investment and audit committees. It seems to us that trustees who wish to be transparent would make their minutes available, but they chose not to allow us access to those documents.
•    We also asked for specific information about the losses that occurred in 2007-09 during the financial crisis. How much of these losses were in high-yield bonds, as the trustees have claimed? How much were within the category of alternative investments? How much were corporate stocks? The trustees will not disclose that information.
•    With respect to the financial crisis, we asked whether the trustees considered taking legal action against those responsible for catastrophic investment losses. Tens of billions of dollars have been recovered by peer pension plans against wrongdoers in connection with financial crisis losses. Why didn’t the AFM seek compensation? Again, the trustees will not say.
•    MPS has reason to believe that several AFM-EPF trustees actively supported the Multiemployer Pension Reform Act, MPRA, a law that could give trustees the ability to cut our pension benefits, in 2013 and 2014 (NCCMP).  We asked trustees whether any of our plan money was used to help lobby for this law. In our view, plan money should be used for the exclusive benefit of plan participants, and any money spent on our behalf for lobbying purposes should be disclosed. The trustees, however, choose to remain silent on the subject.
•    Regarding spending, we asked about travel expenses, meeting expenses, and the cost of education for the trustees. After the AFM-EPF spent $250 million of plan money over the last decade on fees and expenses, coupled with extremely poor performance, this is an area of great concern. Transparency of spending during a financial crisis of this magnitude is critical. Our trustees would not share any information on this subject.
•    Trustees will not answer the simple question of whether the Department of Labor performed an expense audit on the plan in the past five years.

So while communications from our trustees may have become more frequent and comprehensive as of late, we anticipate that they will be in one of two categories : either divulging only what is required by federal law, or advancing their own point of view. It seems that trustees will not answer inconvenient or uncomfortable questions that would enable plan participants to seek transparency and accountability.

Sincerely,
Musicians for Pension Security, Inc.
www.musiciansforpensionsecurity.com

*Ms. Kilkelly included a disclaimer on her email that prevents us from sharing it publicly

[EC: There is obviously a lot that stinks here. There is obviously

dishonesty here. Our question is why haven’t the trustees and

particularly Ms. Kilkelly been fired? We’re being fleeced either

by incompetence or design.]

====================================

III. EVENTS
DEAN AND RICHARD
are now at Culver City Elks the first 
Friday of 
every month.
7:30pm-10:30pm,
11160 Washington Pl.
Culver City, 90232
310-839-8891
————————————-
LA WINDS JAZZ KATS 584
NO COVER, NO MINIMUM.
Every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month at
Viva Cantina
7:30-10:00.
900 Riverside Drive, 
Burbank.

Free parking across the street at Pickwick Bowl.
Come hear your favorite charts played the way
they 
should 
be. 

We are in the back room called
the Trailside Room. 


Come on down.

Guaranteed to swing.

http://www.responsible47.com

—————————————-

7/29/17

SESSIONS AT THE LOFT

ASHLEY BRODER AND FRIENDS

Event to be held at the following time, date, and location:
Saturday, July 29, 2017 from 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM (PDT)
Sessions at the Loft
2465 Ventura Blvd
Camarillo, CA 91320

—————————————-

8/2/17

PRESS RELEASE/Wed AUGUST 2, 2017 at 12:10-12:40 pm at the Free Admission
GLENDALE NOON CONCERTS/ Pianist NANCY FIERRO: Music from the Belle Epoque.
Photo of pianist Nancy Fierro and a press release are attached.
Thank you!
Jacqueline Suzuki
Curator, Glendale Noon concerts
818 -249-5108
http://www.glendalenoonconcerts.blogspot.com

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

THE COMMITTEE FOR A MORE RESPONSIBLE LOCAL 47

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