Last Month at the Local

Last month was a busy month. We started by meeting with Palm Beach Opera to resolve some issues that arose as a result of new contract language that we added during our most recent negotiation. 

Sometimes things don't work out exactly as we expect, but we were able to work out a creative solution with the Opera that preserved the intent of the language...a "win-win" for everyone.

In the middle of the month we negotiated a new four-year agreement with Broadway Across America. The agreement will be sent out to the Broadway Across America musicians later this month for a ratification vote, and we'll have more details of the new agreement once musicians vote to ratify it.

Lastly, at the end of the month Secretary-Treasurer Apana and Director van Eck attended the meeting of the AFM Southern Conference of Locals, which was held in Orlando. Apana also attended several workshops just prior to the conference that were part of the AFM's new education program for officers. The workshops covered the responsibility of Locals to fairly represent all musicians working under collective bargaining agreements, grievance handling, the use of social media, an overview of the various AFM recording agreements, building strengh in Right to Work states, and more. At the end of the meeting, Apana was elected President of the Southern Conference, and will serve a two year term. Stewart Williams, president of the Dallas Local, was elected VP, and Lovie Smith Wright, president of the Houston Local, was re-elected Secretary-Treasurer of the Conference. Local 655 will be hosting the next meeting of the Conference in Miami Beach in June 2018.