Newsletter Archives: December 2003

12/01/03 That Union Thing

From AFL-CIO Work in Progress:

BEATING A BUSH LEAGUE ATTACK—Some 815 workers at Florida International University made their campus the latest of four in the state to restore collective bargaining with AFSCME. Florida’s unions were forced to run campus-by-campus campaigns to prove worker support after Gov. Jeb Bush (R) this year broke longstanding statewide university contracts and made the campuses “autonomous” with separate governing boards. Workers in the administrative, clerical and blue-collar units voted for the union Sept. 23 by a combined 4-to-1 majority.

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12/01/03 The Union Way

Union Gig...or not?

  Union  Nonunion
Wages  $100 $100 
 Pension Return*  $75   $0
Recorded for broadcast** $385 $0
Less Expenses:     
Union Dues $3  $0
Collections when stiffed***   $0  $37
Total   $557 $63

*Based on life expectancy of 80 years

**Based on 1-hour variety show TV broadcast

***Based on Dunn & Bradstreet collections letters

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12/01/03 Symphonic Shorts

News & Announcements

Donations to charity dropped for the first time in a dozen years, reports the New York Times. Arts and cultural organizations took the biggest hit, with a 26.5% drop over the previous year. Some of the decline is attributable to large, one-time gifts the previous year, but donors are also contributing to fewer charities, focusing their dollars on the organizations that are most important to them.

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12/01/03 Recording Rap

I want to thank everyone for their votes. I will miss Peter Graves’s guidance and thank him for his hard work and caring about our Local to bring us to where we are today. At the AFM convention this past June so many people came up to me to let me know how proud they were of our hard work. Peter, I wish you the best and look forward to you hosting, as President of the Southern Conference, the meetings here in June. As we begin a New Year and new term of office I also look forward to working with our new President Cliff Walker and new Board Members.

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12/01/03 Casual Corner

Legislative Roundup

Jumpstart Our Business Strength and Job Protection Acts

Congress is currently debating bills to provide incentives for manufacturers to keep production, including recording and film work, within the United States. Please encourage your representatives to support these bills...contact the Local to find out how.

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12/01/03 Official Business

Annual Dues Now Payable

Semiannual payments: you may pay half of your annual dues now and the balance in July. Payments received after January 31 may be subject to late or reinstatement fees.

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12/01/03 President's Report

I leave office on December 31, 2003 after 6 years in this office. I had intended to share some personal remembrances about the past 6 years and thank so many of you that had taken the time to call and thank me for my efforts on their behalf.  Instead, I find myself saddened by what I feel is a betrayal of the trust that I feel is necessary to be a Local officer. At the last membership meeting a resolution was passed despite my personal plea to postpone, to eliminate life insurance at Local 655.

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