TUESDAY, MAY 6, 2008

Meeting called to order at 11:05 a.m. Present: President Landolfi, Recording Vice President Dennison, Financial Vice President Blumenthal, Executive Board members Burridge, Fein, Giannini, Hunt, Rizzo, Schwartz and Jazz Advisory Committee Liaison Owens.

Recording Vice President Dennison distributed the minutes of April 29, 2008. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the minutes as amended. 

President Landolfi reported that she and AFM Legislative Director Hal Ponder had met with New York Congress members Rangel and Weiner regarding legislation that would provide performance rights for radio broadcasts.

Landolfi reported on her attendance at the Spring Caucus of the New York State Democratic Party.

Landolfi reported on efforts to fill the staff position of Local 802 Public Relation/Political Action Director.

Landolfi reported on the status of a grievance settlement regarding two members of the Metropolitan Opera music staff.

Landolfi reported that she had been informed of members’ involvement in a voluntary Broadway theatre musicians reading orchestra and that the organizer of the orchestra had been asked to appear before the Board to discuss the matter. Discussion held. Board member Schaffner present at 11:40 a.m. during previous discussion.

Discussion held on the early retirement rules of the American Federation of Musicians and Employers Pension Fund (AFM & EPF). Giannini excused at 12:15 p.m.

Local 802 Counsel Mars appeared before the Board and presented a Side-Letter Agreement with the New York City Opera covering the 2008-2009 season, during which the orchestra’s work schedule will be affected by planned renovations of the New York State Theatre. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the agreement subject to ratification by the bargaining unit.

Landolfi distributed a revised bylaw proposal regarding the Local 802 Strike Fund. Discussion held.Motion made and carried unanimously that the strike fund bylaw proposal be submitted by the Executive Board to the October membership meeting. Motion made and carried unanimously to set the October membership meeting for October 15, 2008 at 5 p.m.

Concert representative Fisher appeared before the Board and presented a request from the Gotham Chamber Opera that they be allowed to pay public service scales for a free public performance at a high school for which co-funding had been denied by the Music Performance Fund. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the request.

Financial Vice President Blumenthal distributed a Memorandum of Agreement with the Long Island Philharmonic. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the agreement subject to ratification by the bargaining unit. Mars excused.

Discussion resumed on the early retirement rules of the AFM & EPF.

Principal Theatre Representative Donovan appeared before the Board and presented an agreement with The Old Globe theatre for a reading production of “Going Hollywood.” Schaffner and Burridge excused at 1:10 p.m. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the agreement. Burridge present at 1:15 p.m.

Board member Hunt announced that he would be resigning as a Board member.

Meeting adjourned at 1:20 p.m.

TUESDAY, MAY 13, 2008

Meeting called to order at 11:05 a.m. Present: President Landolfi, Recording Vice President Dennison, Financial Vice President Blumenthal, Executive Board members Burridge, Fein, Giannini, Johansen, Rizzo, Roach, Schwartz and Jazz Advisory Committee Liaison Owens.

Landolfi requested that the date of the October membership meeting be moved from October 15, 2008 to October 22, 2008 at 5 p.m. because of a conflict with a previously scheduled meeting of pension fund trustees. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the request. Board member Schaffner present at 11:10 a.m.

Landolfi reported on the status of efforts to resolve orchestra size issues at the Broadway production of “Cry-Baby.” (See minutes of April 15, 2008.) Discussion held.

Limited Pressing Committee members Katherine Edmonds, Jennifer Hoult and Wally Usiatynski, Assistant to the President LeFevre and Principal Recording Representative Sheldon present. Board member Schaffner presented a report from the Limited Pressing Committee. Discussion held. Edmonds, Hoult, LeFever, Sheldon and Usiatynski excused.

Financial Vice President Dennison presented an agreement with the Single Engagement Club Date employers. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the agreement subject to ratification by the bargaining unit.

Landolfi reported that she and officers Blumenthal and Dennison recommended that Trial Board and Metropolitan Opera Orchestra member Steve Norrell be appointed to the Executive Board to replace resigned Board member Hunt. Motion made and seconded that Steve Norrell be appointed to the Local 802 Executive Board. Discussion held. Substitute motion made and defeated to delay the decision on filling the open Executive Board position until the following week. Opposed: Dennison, Fein, Giannini, Johansen, Rizzo, Roach and Schaffner. Original motion carried. Opposed: Schwartz

Motion made and seconded to appoint David Schneck to the Trial Board to fill the open position created by Norrell’s appointment to the Executive Board. Opposed: Schwartz. Landolfi and Schaffner excused at 1:40 p.m.

Dennison requested approval for the expenditures of up to $3,000 from the Public Relations budget to fund a performance of jazz musicians at an upcoming meeting of the Congressional Black Caucus. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the request.

Motion made and carried unanimously to pay up to three missed Broadway shows to Board member Roach for her to be able to attend Cornell University Labor Leadership classes in Albany, New York.

Concert Representative Fisher appeared before the Board and presented an agreement with the School of American Ballet. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the agreement. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the request.

Fisher presented a request from the Brooklyn Philharmonic to allow the orchestra to be paid at public service scale for a performance that was to be part of a 125th anniversary celebration of the Brooklyn Bridge. The Music Performance Fund was to co-fund the performance.

Meeting adjourned at 1:55 p.m.

TUESDAY, MAY 20, 2008

Meeting called to order at 11:00 a.m. Present: President Landolfi, Recording Vice President Dennison, Executive Board members Burridge, Fein, Giannini, Johansen, Norrell, Rizzo and Jazz Advisory Committee Liaison Owens. Financial Vice President Blumenthal excused on union business. President Landolfi swore in newly appointed Executive Board member Steve Norrell.Board member Schwartz present at 11:05 a.m.

Landolfi introduced newly hired Political Action/Public Relations Director Paul Molloy. Landolfi reported that Local 802 Computer Department Director Ibrahim had been dismissed because of the union decision to contract out the upgrade of the union’s computer software systems. Board member Roach present at 11:10 a.m.

Landolfi reported that Inside Broadway had been utilizing recorded music for its “Creating The Magic” series of children’s programs in Broadway theatres. Discussion held. Board member Schaffner present at 11:15 a.m.

Landolfi reported that because of problems with personal references in some recent postings on the Local 802 Recording Musicians’ listserve, the listserve would be moderated in the future to insure compliance with Local 802 bylaws. Discussion held.

Member Howard Joines, Theatre Committee Chair Tino Gagliardi and Theatre Committee Co-chair Wally Usiatynski appeared before the Board for a discussion of the nature and work of a voluntary theatre musicians reading orchestra. Discussion held. Recording Vice President Dennison and Board member Rizzo excused at 12:00 p.m. Financial Vice President Blumenthal present at 12:50 p.m.

Board member Schaffner reported on a successful effort to obtain a recording agreement for a recent session at Kaufman-Astoria Studios. Meeting recessed at 1:25 p.m. Meeting resumed at 2:35 p.m. Present: Landolfi, Blumenthal, Dennison, Burridge, Fein, Giannini, Norrell, Roach and Owens.

Landolfi reported on the status of efforts to resolve orchestra size issues at the Broadway production of “Cry-Baby.”Discussion held.

Landolfi distributed an outline of the recommendations from the Limiting Pressing Committee. (See minutes of May 13, 2008.) Motion made and carried unanimously to adopt the recommendations of the Limited Pressing Committee subject to language clarification on wage scales.

Blumenthal presented an agreement with the Queens Symphony Orchestra. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the agreement subject to ratification by the bargaining unit. Blumenthal presented an agreement with The Riverside Symphony. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the agreement subject to ratification by the bargaining unit.

Concert Representative Fisher appeared before the Board and presented a request from the United States Navy Band to perform an engagement in the jurisdiction of Local 802. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the request.

Dennison presented a request from the TONY Awards Committee for waiver of the live performance payment for the TONY Awards television program. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the request.

Dennison requested a contribution of up to $750 to fund a live band for the Urban Agenda’s 2008 Visionary Awards program. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the request.

Dennison distributed the minutes of May 6, 2008. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the minutes as amended. ennison distributed the minutes of May 13, 2008. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the minutes as amended. Burridge excused at 3:30 p.m.

Discussion held on the Anne Walker Scholarship Fund.

Meeting adjourned at 3:40 p.m.

TUESDAY, MAY 27, 2008

Meeting called to order at 11:10 a.m. Present: President Landolfi, Recording Vice President Dennison, Executive Board members Burridge, Fein, Johansen, Norrell, Rizzo, Roach, Schwartz and Jazz Advisory Committee Liaison Owens. Financial Vice President Blumenthal excused on union business.

Recording Vice President Dennison distributed the minutes of May 20, 2007. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the minutes as amended.

President Landolfi reported that she had received a thank-you note from members of the Honolulu Symphony, acknowledging the donation received from Local 802.

Landolfi reported that Inside Broadway had engaged a musician to perform for their upcoming “Creating the Magic” program. (See minutes of May 20, 2008.)

Landolfi reported on her attendance at a meeting of the Broadway Theatre Committee.

Landolfi reported on a special situation request from the Broadway production entitled “[title of show]”. [Editor’s note: the title of the show is literally “[title of show].”]

Landolfi requested approval of expenses for her and Board member Schaffner to travel to Las Vegas for a meeting of the AFM International Executive Board scheduled to take place June 19-21, 2008 at which they will present a proposal from the Limited Pressing Committee. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the request. Board member Giannini present at 11:25 a.m. Board member Schaffner present at 11:30 a.m.

Controller Goldman appeared before the Board and presented the April 2008 and the January through April 2008 financials. Discussion held.

Dennison presented three bids for a replacement copier for the third floor and recommended that the lowest bid be accepted at a cost of $12,150.18. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve purchase of the recommended copier.

Computer hardware supervisor Kayne appeared before the Board and reported that additional costs had been incurred during the migration to a new server. Discussion held. Kayne excused. 

Meeting adjourned at 12:30 p.m.