Special Executive Board Session for Member Recruitment and Retention,
Tuesday, 11 June 2002
Meeting began at 7:20pm and ended at 9:30pm. Present: President Graves,
Secretary-Treasurer Apana, and Board members Harp, Raimondi, and Roitstein.
Discussion of AFM-EPF Fund, including information on vesting and benefits and
historical information on Florida Orchestra Leaders Assn. (FOLA) and signatory
scales/nonsignatory scales.
Discussion of the current health insurance dilemma, including exploring pooling
with other Florida Locals to bid for group rates or lobbying the AFM for a
national plan should the CHCC plan not be resolved in the next few months.
Discussion of recruiting college students. They would benefit from AFM-EPF
(retirement, death, and disability benefits), available health insurance and
instrument insurance, and would have to pay no initiation fees. Proposal to
enlist members who are college faculty to recruit students by making one-on-one
contact and noting incentives such as $20 recruitment credits and possibly
holding an annual recognition for those recruiting new members.
Discussion of promoting unionism, including joining with other unions for
support; training members to ask, "is this a union job?"; annual orientations
for orchestra members (cf. Honolulu Symphony).
Discussion of benefits for rock bands, such as networking parties (cf. AFTRA).
Discussion of recruiting by securing more "union" work (i.e., organizing and
securing contracts). Discussion of members undercutting other members.
Discussion of increased publicity and awareness, such as distributing flyers in
music stores (prominently highlighting benefits such as instrument insurance, to
sell the benefits rather than unionism).
