I heard remarkably sad words recently: “The bargaining unit is not inclined to strike.” It hit me like a sucker punch. Those words mean we lost. The employer holds all the cards.

Being unwilling to strike is understandable in this day of hard-to-find work. None of us want to risk our jobs, and we understand the risks inherent in striking all too well. But it remains undeniable that the threat of a strike is one of the most powerful points of leverage we have together with our solidarity.

Perhaps our faith is lacking, but the message has not changed. When we stand together and speak with one voice, that voice is loud — unbelievably loud. The message of solidarity is a fundamental truth!

We have the ability to grow into one group, with one mind — to start and spread a fire.

Please talk to your friends and coworkers one on one. Talk about what we need, talk about why “they” have so much and how “they” nickel and dime us when we make reasonable requests. We provide the means to their wealth. The thing we desire is not unreasonable.

We must not lie down to this undignified behavior. If we don’t stand, they will push harder next time. They want us divided, and they want to break our spirit. It’s human nature.

Going into a negotiation:

The greatest and only leverage we have when going up against billionaires is our resolve to walk away if we need to. The billionaires know this too. They read us closely — it’s their job. A primary objective for them is to figure us out. While we’re performing, they’re scheming. They want to wear us down, manipulate and demoralize us.

When you shop for a house, the price is directly related to whether you absolutely must buy it, or not. If you are prepared to walk away from the house, the price you ultimately pay will be reasonable, or market value. If you have to have it because you love it, you will pay top dollar. It’s the way of the world.

Haggling in a marketplace, same thing. As you walk away you will hear the best price. The “going out the door” price. Why then, are we ever “not inclined to strike”? It’s the only power we’ve got.

But, as in home-buying, when you start to walk away, you must understand that you may lose the house. The same is true with striking. It’s powerful leverage, but using it means you may lose some, or all, of what you have already. There are no guarantees, after all.

But we need to keep the faith. The message is true. Let us please build a fire together. This fire starts in our heart. They will feel it within us even before we do.

Now, let me tell you a bit about myself as your incoming president and my vision for our future.

I was born in Philadelphia and first joined the AFM in 1982 when I was a trombone student of Rich Genovese at the Philadelphia College of Performing Arts. I first worked in the thriving Latin music scene of North Philadelphia as well as with area wedding and dance bands. In 1986, I accepted a job on Carnival Cruise Lines with the in-house show band, after which I moved to NYC to earn a master’s degree at the Manhattan School of Music, where I studied with Jack Gale. While still playing in New York’s salsa and wedding band scene, I started subbing on Broadway in 1989. Since then, I’ve played for over 95 Broadway musicals as a sub and chairholder. Additionally, I was hired many times as a local musician when Broadway national tours came through Philadelphia, and I also worked as a headliner in the Atlantic City casinos. I’ve been the longstanding trombone chairholder at the Big Apple Circus through 2024 and was on the negotiating committee to help the circus band win its first union agreement in 2004.

At Local 802, I served on the Trial Board for six years starting in 2009, and on the Executive Board for four years in 2015. I also served on the Finance, Political, Website, and Green Alliance Subcommittees during that time.

Recently, I’ve served on the Executive Board of AFM Local 77 in Philadelphia, and I look forward to serving our membership as the next president of Local 802.

Thank you to all of my fellow candidates who ran for office. I know it was a competitive race for Executive Board and Trial Board, and it’s highly encouraging to me that musicians care enough about their union to put in the hard work of campaigning and making the union a better place. I salute everyone who ran, and I’m so pleased to be working with my new Executive Board, including my fellow officers Karen Fisher and Harvey Mars, who ran unopposed. Together, we’re going to accomplish great things.

As I wrote in my campaign statement, I have a vision for 802. I celebrate our rich diversity and world views and have great faith in the power of solidarity. I will champion our diversity into a united, powerful message to show the world the pride we have in ourselves, our industry, and our union. With humility and integrity, I will devote every ounce of my energy to this cause and uplifting our profession in the years to come. I honor the opportunity to serve you and build upon the strength of our great union.

I look forward to hearing from you. Although I am no stranger to Local 802, I will be relying on my wonderful staff as I hit the ground running. My direct e-mail is bsuttmann@local802afm.org and you can also reach out to Dan Point, Karen Fisher, Harvey Mars, Mikael Elsila, Robin Donach or any of our reps and organizers.