TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2008

Meeting called to order at 11:15 a.m. Present: President Landolfi, Recording Vice President Dennison, Financial Vice President Blumenthal, Executive Board members Burridge, Fein, Giannini, Rizzo, Schwartz and Jazz Advisory Committee Liaison Owens.

Recording Vice President Dennison distributed the minutes of January 22, 2008. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the minutes as amended.

Landolfi reported on the status of a grievance regarding payments owed members of the “Legally Blonde” orchestra. (See minutes of January 22, 2008.)

Landolfi requested the purchase of one ticket at a cost of $300 to the Labor Research Association’s annual dinner honoring New York State Governor Elliot Spitzer, United Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten and Taxi Workers Alliance leader Bhairavi Desai. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the request.

Landolfi reported on a work dues issue regarding a grievance settlement over back wages owed members of the “Rent” orchestra. Discussion held. The Board requested that the union’s policy that work dues payments apply to all grievance settlements be communicated to the “Rent” orchestra members.

Blumenthal recommended that Concert Representative Fisher be promoted to Senior Business Rep effective on the one-year anniversary date of her employment. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the recommendation.

Dennison reported on a meeting with the director of events for Bryant Park in regard to the live music events sponsored each summer in the park by the Council for Living Music. Discussion held. Motion made and carried unanimously to allocate $25,000 to the Council for Living Music from the Public Relations Budget to help support the Piano in the Park series in Bryant Park.

Dennison requested the purchase of 10 tickets to a fund raising event for the Writers Guild of American, East Strike Fund at a total cost of $750 with the payment to come from the Local 802 Strike Fund. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the request.

Blumenthal reported on an ongoing grievance with the Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra (BPO) over the orchestra’s hiring policy. A BPO Committee member appeared before the Board to discuss orchestra committee members’ communications. Discussion held. BPO member excused.

New York RMA President Roger Blanc appeared before the Board to report on the status of the NY RMA Chapter. Blanc excused. 

Discussion resumed regarding the BPO. Board member Rizzo excused at 2:05 p.m.

Jazz Representative Weeks and Business Rep Friedman appeared before the Board. Weeks presented an agreement with New York City Music Corporation (Sam Bortka). Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the agreement.

Friedman and Weeks presented an agreement with the Children’s Orchestra Society. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the agreement.

Meeting adjourned at 2:30 p.m.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 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 and Schwartz.

Recording Vice President Dennison distributed the minutes of January 29, 2008. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the minutes as amended. Jazz Advisory Committee Liaison Owens present at 11:15 a.m.

The Board’s Financial Oversight Committee reported on the status of the committee’s work reviewing a possible increase in the union’s strike fund.

Landolfi reported on the status of employment on Broadway and noted that currently there are a net of 22 orchestra chairs over the minimums required under the collective bargaining agreement after deducting the reduced number of chairs in the currently running special situation musicals and excluding the long running shows that predate the current minimum orchestra sizes.

Landolfi requested affirmation of a phone poll regarding special situations status for the Broadway production of “In the Heights.” (See minutes of January 15, 2008.) Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the request.

Financial Vice President Blumenthal reported that the New York Pops agreement had been ratified by that bargaining unit. Blumenthal requested that the economic conditions contained in the first year of the New York Pops agreement be promulgated as the freelance concert scale for 2008. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the request. 

Blumenthal presented a request from the Opera Orchestra of New York that orchestra members be allowed to donate their services at a fundraising event for the opera company. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the request provided that musicians are paid the appropriate wages and benefits and any wage donations are made anonymously through the union’s escrow account.

Blumenthal reported on the status of plans for an orchestra committee election at the Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra. Discussion held.

Dennison requested that a date be set for the June Membership meeting. Motion made and carried unanimously to hold the June Membership meeting on Wednesday, June 11, 2008 at 5:00 pm.

Dennison requested approval of the expenditure of up to $750 to sponsor live music at a Black History Month celebration sponsored by Bread and Roses, the cultural arm of United Health Care Workers East, Local 1199 of the Service Employees International Union. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the request.

John Hancock Financial Network Representative Sam Miller appeared before the Board to discuss long term care insurance options for Local 802 members. Board member Giannini excused at 12:30 p.m. Miller excused.

MedAmerica Insurance representative Bill Altneu appeared before the Board to discuss long term care insurance options for Local 802 members. Altneu excused.

Meeting recessed at 1:40 p.m.

Meeting resumed at 2:10 p.m. Present: Landolfi, Blumenthal, Dennison, Burridge, Fein, Johansen, Roach, Rizzo and Schwartz.

New York City Ballet Orchestra Committee members Biddlecome, Cutler, Grey, Moye and Silverman appeared before the Board to discuss the orchestra’s current negotiations and potential access to the Local 802 Legal Services Fund. Discussion held. Board member Burridge excused at 2:35 p.m. Biddlecome, Cutler, Grey, Moye and Silverman excused.

Concert Representative Fisher appeared before the Board and presented an agreement with Opera Francais De New York. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the agreement.

Fisher presented an agreement with the Center for Contemporary Opera. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the agreement.

Fisher presented a request from the St. Cecilia Chorus for an extension of the customary 4 hour maximum rehearsal period to 4.5 hours. Discussion held.

Dennison requested a merit increase for a staff member. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the request. 

Dennison informed the Board that the piano in the Club Room needed to be replaced and that a suitable replacement piano had recently been donated to the Jazz Foundation of America. He further reported that the Jazz Foundation was willing to sell the piano to Local 802 for the equivalent of 3 month’s rent or $5,400. Motion made and carried unanimously to forgo three months’ rent from the Jazz Foundation of American in exchange for the piano.

Dennison requested approval of the expenditure of up to $1,000 for consultations with a tax attorney regarding the jazz club tax relief efforts and the application of state and federal tax laws. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the request.

Meeting adjourned at 3:50 p.m.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2008

Meeting called to order at 11:10 a.m. Present: President Landolfi, Recording Vice President Dennison, Financial Vice President Blumenthal, Executive Board members Burridge, Fein, Giannini, Johansen, Rizzo, Roach, Schaffner and Schwartz. 

Michael Locker and Bob Howlett of Locker Associates, Inc. appeared before the Board and presented an approach toward corporate campaigns in the music and entertainment industry. Present for this discussion of corporate campaigns were members Abba Bogin, Irwin Fisch, Jan Mullen, Lenny Pickett, Lee Soper, and David Weiss, Assistant to the President Joel LeFevre, and from Local 802’s public relations firm Sunshine & Sachs Associates representatives Briele Douglass and Jesse Derris. Discussion held. Jazz Advisory Committee Liaison Owens present at 11:30 a.m. Member Soper excused at 11:50 p.m. Member Mark Thrasher present at 12:30 p.m.

Meeting recessed at 1:05 p.m. Meeting resumed at 2:10 p.m. Present: Landolfi, Dennison, Burridge, Fein, Giannini, Johansen, Owens, Rizzo, Roach, Schaffner and Schwartz.

MIS Department consultant Cronin and outside computer consultant Don Moore from Microcore Inc. appeared before the Board to present a status report on the computer software platform being developed for the Local 802 Health Fund. Discussion held. Cronin and Moore excused. Motion made and carried unanimously to proceed with a computer software needs assessment for Local 802.

Meeting adjourned at 3:55 p.m.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2008

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

Recording Vice President Dennison distributed the minutes of February 5, 2008. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the minutes as amended. Dennison distributed the minutes of February 12, 2008. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the minutes as amended.

President Landolfi presented a request from Film Musicians Secondary Market Fund Administrator Dennis Dreith that Local 802 participate in co-funding an ASCAP/Columbia University sponsored Film Scoring Workshop as the union did in 2007 at a cost of $3,500. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the request with the funds to come from the public relations budget and to forward a request to the CAC for co-funding.

Landolfi presented a request from the NYS AFL-CIO for support of a fund raising event to benefit Cornell University’s Labor Leadership Training Institute. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the purchase of one ticket to the event at a cost of $200.

Music Preparation Department Supervisor Dannenberg appeared before the Board and reported that a committee of orchestrators and arrangers had suggested several changes in the General Price List scales for their work. Discussion held.

Concert Representative Fisher appeared before the Board regarding an earlier request from the St. Cecelia Chorus regarding additional rehearsal time. (See minutes of February 5, 2008.) Motion made and carried unanimously that rehearsal overtime be paid after 4 hours as required by the agreement with St. Cecilia Chorus.

Dennison distributed a letter sent to the Executive Board by member John Babich. Discussion held. Motion made and carried unanimously that Babich receive a response to his letter from the Board and that Local 802 attorneys be consulted about that response.

Meeting adjourned at 1:50 p.m.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2008

Meeting called to order at 11:10 a.m. Present: Recording Vice President Dennison, Executive Board members Burridge, Fein, Giannini, Rizzo, Roach, Schaffner, Schwartz and Jazz Advisory Committee Liaison Owens. President Landolfi excused for a Pension Fund Trustees meeting. Financial Vice President Blumenthal excused on vacation. Dennison chaired the meeting. Minutes were taken by Board member Rizzo.

Local 802 counsel Engelstein present for a discussion of the Board’s response to a letter received from member John Babich. Discussion held. Engelstein excused at 12:41 p.m. Meeting recessed at 12:45 p.m. Meeting resumed at 1:30 p.m.

Controller Goldman appeared before the Board and presented Local 802’s draft audited financial statement for the year ending December 31, 2007, the draft financial statement for the Recording and Claims Funds as of December 31, 2007, the Combined Funds Consolidated Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2007 and the General Fund financial statement for the January 1 through December 31, 2007 period. Discussion held. Goldman excused at 2:15 p.m.

Assistant to the President LeFevre appeared before the Board and distributed copies of a settlement agreement covering actor/musicians who appeared in the Broadway production of “Cyrano de Bergerac.” Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the settlement agreement.

LeFevre distributed a schedule and estimated cost for staff training on Local 802’s new computer platform, Microsoft Office 2007. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the expenditure of up to $8,800 for staff training through the New Horizons Computer Learning Center. LeFevre excused.

Schaffner reported on a meeting attended by himself and rank and file Recording Musicians Committee member David Weiss held in Chicago on December 19, 2007. The meeting, which included representatives from the Los Angeles Recording Musicians Association, was organized by AFM President Lee to discuss matters of mutual interest affecting New York and Los Angeles recording musicians. Discussion held. Meeting adjourned at 3:00 p.m.

TUESDAY, MARCH 4, 2008

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

Recording Vice President Dennison distributed the minutes of Feb. 19, 2008. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the minutes. Jazz Advisory Committee Liaison Owens present at 11:10 a.m. Dennison distributed the minutes of Feb. 26, 2008. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the minutes as amended.

President Landolfi reported on her attendance at a trustees’ meeting of the American Federation of Musicians & Employers Pension Fund that took place Feb. 25, 2008 through Feb. 28, 2008. Discussion held.

Landolfi presented an agreement for a reading of “Catch Me If You Can.” Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the agreement.

Landolfi requested approval for payment of travel expenses of up to $500 for Local 802 members to participate in New York Music Educators’ lobby day in Albany. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the request.

Landolfi reported that she had been invited to participate in a New York City legislators’ breakfast in Albany. Landolfi also reported that meetings were to have been arranged with Congress members Nadler, Rangel and Towns to discuss legislation sponsored by the AFM granting performance rights to musicians for radio broadcasts.

Dennison requested the purchase of two tickets at a cost of $150 each to a benefit performance for member Dennis Irwin sponsored by Jazz @ Lincoln Center and the Jazz Foundation of America. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the request.

Dennison requested a donation of $250 to the James Moody Scholarship Fund. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the request.

Dennison distributed a revised draft of the Board’s response to a letter received from member John Babich (see minutes of Feb. 4, 2008), which response made clear that a claim of confidentiality could not be applied to a publicly disseminated e-mail message and that allegations of misconduct regarding Trial Board procedures were unfounded. Board member Schaffner present at 11:55 p.m. Discussion held. Motion made and carried to approve the Board’s response. Opposed: Schwartz

Music Preparation Supervisor Dannenberg present for a discussion of proposed changes in the General Price List rates for orchestrations. Discussion held. Financial Vice President Blumenthal present at 1:00 p.m. Dannenberg excused. Meeting recessed at 1:05 p.m.

Meeting resumed at 2:10 p.m. Present: Landolfi, Blumenthal, Dennison, Burridge, Fein, Giannini, Johansen, Rizzo, Roach, Schaffner and Schwartz.

Board member Schaffner reported on his participation in a legislative briefing session on January 15, 2008 in Albany organized by the Cornell School of Industrial and Labor Relations. Present for this report were Principal Business Rep Sheldon and Business Reps Copeland, Friedman and Salgado. Discussion held.

Dennison requested approval of the expenditure of up to $4,100 to Canfield Design Studios for design of a “Record in New York” advertisement for use by Local 802 in print media, on various web sites, as web links and as a press kit. Discussion held. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the request. Board member Giannini excused at 3:00 p.m.

Principal Business Rep Donovan appeared before the Board and presented an agreement with Except for This, LLC covering musicians performing in “Mandy Patinkin in Concert” and “An Evening With Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin.” Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the agreement.

Donovan presented an extension of the agreement covering the production of “Xanadu” at the Helen Hayes Theatre. Motion made and carried unanimously to approve the agreement subject to ratification by the bargaining unit.

Discussion held on various long-term care options being offered to Local 802 members.

Meeting adjourned at 3:30 P.M.