3/8/18
I. SMALL PETTY PEOPLE
II. BLUEBOY SPEAKS
III. UPDATE ON NATIONAL MPS MEETING
IV. SHORT NOTICE COMPOSING OPPORTUNITY – HELIX COLLECTIVE
V. COMMENTS
VI. 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
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I. SMALL PETTY PEOPLE
A (REGRETFULLY LONG w/apologies) MESSAGE FROM CHARLES FERNANDEZ
When I was illegally charged by Local 47 for my
conducting and attending an educational demo
session I knew it wasn’t about the session, it
wasn’t even about the CMG (Collective Media
Guild) it was about the Blog, the one you’re
reading now.
Since 2005 the AFM and Local have been
desperate to shut it down.
THANK YOU 1st amendment.
So I ultimately paid their illegal, unethical fine,
and went fi-core.
According to the rules, you cannot use
Union facilities if you’re fi-core. That’s fine,
However, if an outside organization
uses a room at the union, that organization
can have anyone at the meeting they want.
If they can have non-union people at
their meeting they can have fi-core people
as well, as long as the fi-core musician
doesn’t play, EXCEPT in the case of a
paid rehearsal, in such a case the union
must allow the Fi-Core musician in under
a CBA.
.
Those running the Local thought when I went
fi-core the blog would disappear, but the
membership has made sure that hasn’t happened.
We’ve been getting some explosive stuff
(MAKE SURE YOU READ ‘BLUE BOY’ BELOW
– it’s important).
WHAT’S A LOCAL TO DO?
So what’s an RMA controlled Local to do?
Go scorched earth, and abuse the power of the
Local they control through a complicit officer
to destroy one member they have a personal
grudge against, as well as try to destroy their
relationship with any musical organization they
are affiliated with, in this case ASMAC (American
Society of Music Arrangers and Composers
– ASMAC.org).
For the past 15+ years I have been a
board member, sometimes secretary,
sometimes vice-president of this 80
year old proud and important organization.
As long as I have been a member,
it has met at the union.
Now however, they will no longer allow
our group at the union if I am there.
Again, an officer abusing their authority
against one individual member for personal
reasons. There are other non union
members on the ASAMC board, but
this is directly solely at me as an
individual.
Why? The excuse is I “made a scene” when
I went Fi-core, but again this an excuse.
It’s all about the blog. They’re willing to sacrifice
a decades long relationship with a storied
musical organization through countless AFM
administrations because of their petty
personal vendetta against one person.
Utterly pathetic and small.
If this were any other business the offending
persons would be fired and likely sued, but not
at Local 47.
.
SO WHAT HAPPENED?
DOUBLE CHARGING.
When I went to go fi-core I had already paid the full
yearly membership dues for 2018 ($210). I was told
that didn’t matter and had to pay an ADDITIONAL
$175 fi-core fee. As would be the case with anyone,
this upset me.
I asked why it couldn’t be deducted from the dues I
already paid and was told it was policy. I had a
discussion with Secretary Gary Lasley and left
(we’ve since communicated by email, where I
apologized for getting upset, he wrote back and
we’re fine, according to both of us.)
Last Wednesday, March 6TH, I wrote to the secretary
and formally requested the chapter and verse that
allows the local to double charge those who choose
fi-core status if they’ve paid their reg member dues.
As of this writing, I have not heard from him. I will
certainly keep writing until I do. If, as I suspect, I am
told that as a non-member I am not entitled to that
information, perhaps one of you fine upstanding
Local 47 members out there can make the same
request and send us the reply.
But again, this isn’t about my conduct going fi-core,
it’s about the blog not shutting down, it’s about
hurting me and anyone associated with me in
any way they can to get me to stop the blog
and further damage my career and relationships
in the business.
Petty and small indeed.
SHUTTING DOWN THE BLOG
It’s not going to happen.
I don’t believe the secretary is behind this, since
we’ve talked, I don’t believe VP Rick Baptist is
behind it, he worked for me for many years in
the studios. A consummate professional, No
one gives waa’s and wop’s like Rick. That leaves
only one officer and the group that he is beholden to.
This is how small, how petty, how subservient
the Executive Board of Local 47 is to the people
who really run the union. No backbone, No shame.
The one I am most disappointed in is Vice President Rick
Baptist, who I’ve known for decades as a stellar musician
and person but who has seemingly become subservient to
John Acosta and his handlers. I expected he would stand
up for what is right and in defense of the rank and file. It pains
me to learn otherwise. He been doing Acosta’s dirty work
in sending letters and busting sessions. Why can’t John
do it himself? Won’t look good in pictures or documentation
I suppose.
No organization or member deserves this treatment by
such a small petty group of people. If this upsets you
and you have the conviction to actually speak up (I’m
looking at you Local 47 board members) it’s about
time you did so. How long will you allow the
rank abuse of the officer’s power against individual
musicians to go on? Again, make sure to
read BLUE BOY below. This goes for the rank and
file as well. What will it take to get more musicians
to stand up and say “I’m mad as Hell and I”m not
going to take it any more”.
The abuse and selective enforcement this Local
and it’s handlers have engaged in without
conscience and without precedent is deplorable.
In my learned opinion. This Local is no longer a
solution for the rank and file, it is the problem.
CHARLES FERNANDEZ
============================
II. BLUEBOY SPEAKS
Noticed that your recent leaks have generated quite
the reaction from the RMA cronies. I am also wondering
if you have any IP address of the user which tried to
hack your blog. I am nearly sure that the SMIRK tried
to hack a few of us…I have IP addresses to share.
I am sending you screenshots from a video that
was sent to me by a friend of the musician who
was falsely accused at the “busted bridge session”.
[EC: We have an IP address or two to share as well.]
I have been authorized to allow you to post these.
The video in its entirety will be posted very soon.
The musician has been harassed because of a
“union error” (which is more or less an RMA-
sponsored targeting operation) has incurred
more than $15,000 in legal defense fees to
fight the union to restore their good name.
The local sent around the name of this person
with their name, address and phone number
attached to a photo of A DIFFERENT PERSON.
This musician was not even present at the
alleged “bridge session”. All our bosses got
this list through “back channels”. Erick Cruz
was, in fact, the official who made the false
identification. It would later be Gordon who
took the fall.
Gordon and Erick followed this member into
the parking lot after a business visit and,
essentially tried to intimidate and discourage
them. The member said nothing and Gordon
went on a wild rant, made snide comments
about a fellow member/contractor and gave a
softball “apology” all while scolding the member
for retaining a lawyer. The local still refuses to
rectify the distribution of fraudulent charges.
The member was also bullied in an attempt for
them to sign an unlawful NDA (non-disclosure
agreement) in exchange for an apology and a
tiny sum of taxable reimbursement.
The member is in the process of filing a civil complaint.
The member wants a proper apology but, John
Acosta refuses to print or post it all while hiding
behind the “decisions” made by his “executive
board”.
We can post it for them: I can’t say the union
was not warned multiple times……..Gordon
lost his job because of this…..who else thinks
its time for Acosta to lose his job over this?
PS: The RMA sent out a freakin love letter
thanking Gordon for his service after he got
the boot. Why else would the RMA thank
him unless he had been doing their dirty
work?! This is the newsletter statement
they sent around:
“Gordon Grayson has served as the Administrator
of the Electronic Media Division of Local 47
for the past eight years. A staunch labor advocate,
Gordon had previously worked at the Writers
Guild of America West. As he moves on, we
would like to express our gratitude for his
years of dedicated, straight-shooting service
to our Local, and to our musicians working in
recording. We wish him every future success!
– RMALA Board”
#takebackOURlocal
-BlueBoy
[Blueboy also provided us pictures clearly
showing Gordon Grayson and Erick Cruz
targeting musicians, you can see them at
the following links.
[EC: The Local and AFM have once again
proven themselves morally and ethically
bankrupt. Charles Fernandez as well incurred
over $15,000 in legal fees fighting bogus
charges instituted by Gordon Grayson but all
assisted by John Acosta.
In Mr. Fernandez’s Hearing, though Grayson
was asked the questions, he didn’t seem to
know any of the details and had to be assisted
in answering most questions by consulting
John Acosta. (Picture Cheney having to be in
the room when Bush Jr. was interviewed)
Though Grayson filed the charges,
Acosta was the force behind them.
You can find the transcript online and
read it for yourself.
Regarding the session where Mr. Fernandez
was targeted, there were two musicians
seen in pictures playing the entirety of the
nonunion session . The cellist who signed a
letter stating they saw Mr Fernandez conducting
(NOT against the bylaws) was STEVE VELEZ,
who then escaped any fine, and led directly
to Mr. Fernandez’s $15,000+ in legal costs.
The violist who refused to fraudulently target
Mr. Fernandez was fined initially $400.
Mr. Fernandez, though no bylaw was broken
was fined $2,500 for simply being at the session
as an educator.
This conduct shows NO ethics, NO morals
and NO conscience.Such behavior cannot
be tolerated in any legitimate organization.
We want to know your story of abuse by
this Local and the National AFM. Write to us.
If it can be verified, we’ll run it.]
==============================
III. UPDATE ON NATIONAL MPS MEETING
Location Confirmed
Save the date:
Nationwide Meeting for all AFM Musicians
March 21, 2018 at 5pm
St. Malachy’s Church
239 W 49th St, New York, NY
LIVE STREAMING ON FACEBOOK
BREAKING AFM PENSION NEWS!
• Musicians for Pension Security recently
obtained the AFM-EPF trustees’ own
documents made public by law. (read them
here) These documents reveal that the
pension trustees have been planning cuts
to our pension benefits going all the way
back to August of 2015. According to those
documents the trustees are targeting a
25-30% cut to existing benefits. *MPS
now believes the trustees could set a
MPRA application into motion as early as
June 2018, which starts the process that
allows the trustees to cut our benefits.
• MPS hired Tom Lowman, a nationally
recognized pension actuary, to review the
situation. At the March 21 meeting, Tom
will show how our trustees are proceeding
upon questionable assumptions that we
would like to change and will explain why.
He will present a plan to stabilize our
pension in the near term and will recommend
measures to assure the long-term stability
of the plan.
• Tom Lowman thinks that delaying cuts
and working on improving the funding is
the way to go. Cutting benefits now may
result in larger cuts than needed. Also,
cutting now while hoping to restore some
of those cuts later would be difficult.
He will explain why at the March 21 meeting.
• You will also hear from Jonathan
Kantor, our legal counsel, who will
explain the process that our trustees
are following to obtain the cuts, together
with legal options that they — and we —
have.
It is critical that all AFM members make
every effort to attend this meeting. For
those across the country who can’t be
there, the meeting will be streamed via
Facebook LIVE on the MPS Facebook page.
Your attendance at the MPS National
meeting will help to give you a better
understanding of what is happening
to our pension and the solutions we
think will make a difference.
If you haven’t already, please click here to
RSVP to the March 21st meeting.
Who is MPS? Click HERE.
What is MPRA? Click HERE.
In solidarity,
Musicians for Pension Security
==============================
IV. HELIX COLLECTIVE COMPOSING OPPORTUNITY –
DEADLINE, MARCH 25TH!
Apply to have your original score performed live-to-
picture by Helix Collective at the 2018 Los Angeles
Live Score Film Festival! Apply with a link to your
video reel and a PDF score.
Application deadline: March 25, 2018
APPLY HERE
More info: www.lalsff.org
LASFF Trailer Video
The Los Angeles Live Score Film Festival features
short films with original scores performed live-to-
picture. The 2018 festival on Saturday, July 21st
at the Barnsdall Gallery Theatre is presented by
Helix Collective in collaboration with the
Academy of Scoring Arts. Films for the 2018 festival
are curated by the faculty at the New York Film
Academy, Columbia College, Hollywood, and
the L.A. Film School.
Selected film composers are paired with a winning
filmmaker to create an original score for the festival.
The film is screened with the score performed live
by the renowned performance and recording ensemble,
Helix Collective. The screening includes an interview
with the filmmakers and composers. Awards for Best
Picture and Best Musical Score are presented at the
close of the festival.
Now in it’s fifth season, LALSFF’s goal is to highlight
the role of collaboration between composers and
filmmakers. Acting like a talent agent, the festival
brings experts in the two disciplines together. At the
screenings, filmmakers and composers hear and
see the work of new colleagues, meet new collaborators,
and establish working relationships with each other.
Helix Collective www.helixcollective.net
================================
V. COMMENTS
Thank you for your blog post. Really thank you! Awesome.
————————
Thank goodness for the blog. You are the only
thing standing between the union and
blind corruption without accountability.
================================
VI. 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
——————————————————
3/12/18
Dear friends,
I’d like to invite you to a unique concert that will take
place next Monday night, March 12th at 7:30 pm
at the First Christian Church of North Hollywood.
It will be a rare opportunity to hear a first-rate
performance by a leading young concert artist
in the accordion world, Grayson Masefield.
Grayson is from New Zealand and has become a
sought-after concert artist, presently continuing his
studies towards a masters degree in music at the
HEMU – University of Music, Lausanne, Switzerland.
He will be in Los Angeles for this one night only and
will share his program mix of new concert music
specifically written for the accordion as well as
interpretations of Baroque and Classical selections.
Many of you have heard me speak of the wealth of
music for accordion that we seldom hear – music
that utilizes the accordion in ways other than as a
pop/folk instrument. I often travel to other parts of
the world for events that celebrate the accordion
music in this way and to hear this kind of performance
and the new music being written for the instrument.
This is a rare opportunity to hear something that is
new to you. Come join me (and bring a friend) in
welcoming Grayson in concert. After the concert
I will provide dessert and beverages at my home
nearby to give you an opportunity to meet him!
Liz Finch
(818) 766-3101
(818) 679-7958 (cell)
First Christian Church of North Hollywood
4390 Colfax Ave.
Studio City, 91604
(The church is on the corner of Cofax Ave.
and Moorpark St. – East of Laurel Cyn. Blvd,
north of Ventura Blvd. There is free parking
in the church parking lot and some street parking.)
———————————————————————————
3/21/18
Wed MARCH 21, 2018 at 12:10-12:40 pm at the
Free Admission GLENDALE NOON CONCERTS
NANCY FIERRO Piano Recital: “Music of the Belle Epoque;”
Works by Lili Boulanger, Cecile Chaminade ,
and Claude Debussy.
http://www.glendalenoonconcerts.blogspot.com
Thank you!
Jacqueline Suzuki
Curator, Glendale Noon Concerts
818 249-5108
Coming to Vibrato April 11th @ 7:30pm
The Fabulous Grammy Nominated
PHIL NORMAN TENTET
reminiscent of the refreshing sounds
of West Coast Jazz.x
Los Angeles, CA.90077
Reservations call 310-474-9400
Click here to visit Herb Alpert’s Vibrato Grill Jazz
PLAYING THE MUSIC OF
Rogers & Hart, George Shearing, Benny Goodman,
Hank Mancini, Debussy, Joseph Kosma,
Billy Strayhorn, Jimmy Forrest, Stanley Turrentine
Bob Nolan and others.
—————————————-
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(800) 882-4734 | www.pnwfilmmusic.com ——————————————– UNTIL NEXT TIME, THE COMMITTEE FOR A MORE RESPONSIBLE LOCAL 47