President's Report

… Southern Conference … I recently served as Vice-President of the Southern Conference at our annual meeting in Nashville. There were a number of new ideas and concepts presented this year, among them is a new program that will allow bandleader / contractors to file pension on their own behalf without having to incorporate. This should be helpful to all of our members as the inability of leaders to get their pension has been a stumbling block in getting them to file on behalf of the sidemen. There was also an interesting recording seminar chaired by Melissa Hamby Meyer from Local 257 in Nashville, along with Marycolette Hruskocy from the Pension Fund which introduced some ground-breaking ideas in terms of assisting Locals in cleaning up recording contracts that have problems. This new initiative brings the Pension Fund into the picture sooner in most cases where there are problems and Locals need more muscle in getting the record companies and producers to do the right thing.
… TEMPO … One of the more important issues to be discussed at the Southern Conference is the need for improved visibility in Congress in terms of our lobbying efforts. To this end, Local 655 will be adding a voluntary check-off on all statements sent out from the office that includes a line allowing for you to contribute as little as $1. I urge you to help; if everyone in the AFM gave just $1.00 per year that would give us $100,000.00 to work with on behalf of musicians’ causes. … Palm Beach Opera … Rochelle Gnagey-Skolnick will represent PBO this month at the Unity Conference in Ottawa …Florida Philharmonic Orchestra… Jay Bertolet will represent FPO this month at the Unity Conference in Ottawa In addition, the CBA is signed and will have been printed and distributed by the time you read this article. … Pamphlet B … Negotiations are finished and the Federation is in the ratification process. Once this is completed, I will be meeting with Chris Brockmeyer from Clear Channel/SFX Theatrical to finalize a new deal for our local theater musicians … I’ll stay in touch; you do the same …
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