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I wish you guys could have these meetings when people who have day gigs (college profs) could make them.
Dante Luciani

Can't make the meeting, but our life insurance premium is 20 times the going rate.  Coupled with the fact it's mandatory and paid to an insurance provider that doesn't provide health insurance in Florida, it's obscene. Dump this insurance company, or I'll consider resigning in good standing.  Check your records, I've done it before and I mean it. 
Randy Emerick

First of all, I would like to object to your premise that our local is ‘us’ (the recording musicians) vs. ‘them’ (the orchestra). There are several musicians in the orchestras who also record, and also pay Union dues on their recording income. Conversely, there are several recording musicians who perform with the orchestras in South Florida. They may not play full time with these orchestras, but they perform with them as extras and/or subs.
It has NEVER been the intent of any orchestra member that I know to bankrupt the Local. We value the Local, particularly Peter Graves and Jeffrey Apana and the rest of the Board, more than you can imagine. They were there for us during this highly stressful time in our personal and collective lives, just as they have been there for us every time our management has violated the contract over and over again. It is probably true that in negotiation years, the Local does not make any money on us, since legal and other expenses probably consume our dues. However, in the years that we are not negotiating, I cannot imagine that we cost the Local anything like what we pay in.
Lastly, I believe in the ideals of Unionism for ALL members of the Local and National Union. I would never want to belong to a Union organization that pits one constituency against another. If the recording musicians or another orchestra were on strike against their management, I would be there for them, as several members of other orchestras and recording musicians were there to walk our picket line with us.
Deena Shapiro
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