Is our children learning? Sometimes one wonders about the state of reading education in this country. Reading THE COMMITTEE's latest blast is one of those moments:
Another post on the AFM observer reads in part,….
As the old childhood saying goes, two wrongs don’t make a right. If Ayling et al violated AFM bylaws, then charge them with violating the damned bylaws.
Continue reading "THE COMMITTEE needs better reading glasses " »
THE COMMITTEE thinks so.
If he has a problem with being described as an employee of the AFM, he should remember (Which he most likely does.) that without the AFM, he wouldn't have the job he has, since there would be no AFM LOCAL 47. No AFM, No PRESIDENT Espinosa.
THE COMMITTEE is wrong.
One reason for the Action That Shall Not Be Made Public, at least in the minds of some IEB members, was apparently the lawsuit filed against the AFM and Local 47 regarding work dues collected and forwarded to the AFM on work done under promulgated media agreements. Ed Shamgochian has done yeoman work on the subject on his blog, and I won’t try to improve on his very lucid explanations. But it’s worth exploring just why the lawsuit called forth a threat by the IEB to de-conference the RMA.
One reason for the Action That Shall Not Be Made Public, at least in the minds of some IEB members, was apparently the lawsuit filed against the AFM and Local 47 regarding work dues collected and forwarded to the AFM on work done under promulgated media agreements. Ed Shamgochian has done yeoman work on the subject on his blog, and I won’t try to improve on his very lucid explanations. But it’s worth exploring just why the lawsuit called forth a threat by the IEB to de-conference the RMA.
Mark Northam of Film Music Magazine tries to cover the latest news from the battlefront but is reduced to reprinting anonymously sourced rumors:
The Committee for a More Responsible Local 47, an anonymous industry watchdog group based in Los Angeles, has reported that the Recording Musicians Association (RMA) is considering targeting tenure clauses of AFM local orchestra collective bargaining agreements…. Attempts by Film Music Magazine to reach RMA officials were unsuccessful.
You have to feel for the guy. Anonymous rumors on one side and "no comment" on the other; hardly an easy environment in which to try to report on reality.
Northam also does his best on The Action That Shall Not Be Made Public:
A music industry newsletter is reporting that according to multiple reports it has received, the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) may be considering “de-conferencing” the Recording Musicians Association (RMA), a player-conference within the AFM. The report goes on to speculate that the de-conferencing may occur unless RMA-International President Phil Ayling resigns.
The report was published by The AFM Observer, a respected industry newsletter published since 2006 that has provided detailed coverage of AFM events.
High-ranking AFM union sources told Film Music Magazine late Tuesday that the report and speculation on the AFM Observer site are inaccurate. Attempts by Film Music Magazine to reach RMA officials were unsuccessful.
"Respected"!? I wonder if there’s another AFM Observer out there. But credit Northam with having gotten more of the AFM than they’ve bothered to tell RMA – which is, of course, nothing at all. Of course he wasn’t able to get “high-ranking AFM union sources” to tell him just what it was that the IEB actually did do, and it seems as if those sources tried very hard to leave the impression that nothing at all happened (move along, people – nothing to see here). And we know that’s not the case.
I can hardly wait to see the minutes of the last IEB meeting. Or, for that matter, the next one.
A number of documents have shown up in my inbox since the IEB took The Action That Shall Not Be Made Public last month. One of the more telling document dumps was an exchange a few months ago between Dave Pomeroy, president of the Nashville chapter of the RMA and board member of the Nashville local, and AFM President Tom Lee. The substance of the exchange is the plutonium core at the heart of what's threatening to blow the AFM to kingdom come.
Continue reading "What we've got here is a failure to communicate " »
Careful readers of the International Musician will notice that this month’s report by the International Secretary-Treasurer consists of a speech by ICSOM Chairman Bruce Ridge, bracketed by 107 words from the person actually paid to write the column:
For this month's column I would like to assist our brothers and sisters in Columbus, Ohio, by sharing this May 20 speech given by International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians (ICSOM) Chair Bruce Ridge.
(speech)
The musicians of the Columbus Symphony currently face the prospect of losing their health insurance. Donations will go toward covering those costs. Contributions may be sent to: Central Ohio Federation of Musicians, 1585 Bethel Rd. Suite 100, Columbus, OH 43220-2010 and checks should be made out to the Columbus Symphony Orchestra Committee. These talented musicians deserve the support, not only of their fellow orchestra players, but of the entire musical community.
I’ve received some additional information on whatever it was the IEB did last week. This reading of the tea leaves would not be necessary, of course, if the IEB made its actions public, or even if they had informed RMA of whatever it was they did – which apparently they have yet to do, even though they have told at least the head of at least one other player conference. A classy bunch, our IEB.
Now that RMA is under attack by the current AFM administration, it’s time for some juicy rumors about just how awful the RMA. In yet another email blast, THE COMMITTEE FOR A MORE ALL-CAPS 47 obliges:
We have verification from multiple sources in Los Angeles and elsewhere that the RMA is considering targeting the tenure clauses of local orchestral CBAs (Collective Bargaining Agreements).
Encouraged by the successful takeover (They call it a 'Merger') of the Pasadena Pops by the Pasadena Symphony, tossing out 60+ professional musicians, including 41 tenured musicians and many founding members who worked with the Pasadena Pops for over 20 years, the RMA is apparently investigating moves to take more work from others as theirs dwindles.
A few RMA members told us that at a recent RMA meeting they were informed that the RMA is looking for legal ways get rid of, nullify or do an end run around tenure clauses in area orchestra’s CBAs. This could potentially affect the careers of 1500-2000 musicians.
There is truth to the story of those who don't act because “It doesn't affect them” only to find there's no one left to fight by their side when their jobs make it to the chopping block. Remain apathetic at your own peril.
“Pay to play” is what the AFM calls a demand by an employer that musicians pay the employer (or, more often, the venue) so they can perform, rather than the other way around. It’s a concept that the AFM quite properly rejects – at least when dealing with employers. But, when it comes to national negotiations, the AFM has a different take, as I recently found out to my cost.
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