President's Report

Dear Fellow Musicians:

Thanks to all who have taken the time to call and let us know how much you’ve appreciated the improvements in our newsletter. The credit must shared equally with those of you who have taken the time to make suggestions and to our officers and staff for their input, and in particular to our editor Jeff Apana and his tireless efforts on your behalf. Please keep your input coming; it’s the life support system of your union.

We’ve signed an agreement with the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra Committee to begin the transition period for the orchestra to come out of the Orchestra Service Program (OSP). We now start the task of servicing the orchestra in the manner it deserves.

The FPO has begun negotiating a new contract and I have worked closely with the committee and their negotiator to assist in any way I can, including researching other orchestra contracts on the AFM’s computer BBS.

The Boca Pops is also beginning it’s negotiating process The committee has already met and polled members and has begun the process of putting the orchestra’s input into proposal form, and we anticipate beginning actual negotiations the first week of June. Chris Durham will once again be the Chief Negotiator.

The Palm Beach Opera has elected it’s first orchestra committee (all union members) and I have met and discussed ideas with them (see page 4).

On the club date and casual front, we are instituting an idea for a player referral service. This service is intended more to assist contractors and leaders in need of a specific instrumentalist on short notice (see page 2).

Thanks to the efforts of our Trustee Dick Gabriel, we are now officially affiliated with the Musician’s Credit Union at Local 47 in Los Angeles. We have brochures and applications at the Local (see pg. 7).

I will be convening scale committees to assist in further clarification of our scale book. I have researched scales from around the country and will be looking for volunteers to assist in their area of expertise. If you are interested in helping, please call me at the Local.

• Posted: 06/01/98
Posted by: webmaster
• Category: Newsletter
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