“Home of the Pros” Official Publication of the Detroit Federation of Musicians – Local 5, AFM, AFL-CIO Volume 77, Number 2 2nd Quarter 2014 Why Union? pring Can Really Hang You Up The Most,” as the a true sign of spring. I have also enjoyed visiting many of “Ssong goes, especially when it doesn’t come! Nev- you who have been performing in the MPTF project in ertheless, we have plowed our way through, even if only our Detroit Public Schools. Again, we thank trustees Dan for the thought that when this issue of the Keynote is pub- Beck and Robert Jaffe for the funding to enable these per- lished, Opening Day will have come and gone and we will formances and bring great music to our kids. The series be on our way to “Blue Skies”! has made some 30 concerts possible in between the many This quarter’s “Music Stand” will in- snow days. form you of some positive goings on in The Music Stand As promised, we were very pleased to our local as well as take on the question, by propose a budget for the next fiscal year “Why union?” and answering this ques- George at our March 10 Board Meeting that ac- tion by reflecting on the passing and Troia, Jr. tually balances and shows a slight profit. legacy of John V. (Johnny) Allen. Local 5 Hooray! President There are several reasons for this and Local 5, MPTF, the Budget all deserve our most sincere thanks, We have appreciated the attendance by many of you at our starting with you, the members, for supporting us with recent Local 5 meetings, including January’s Open House, your membership and our dues assessment. A very hard- February’s Workshop, the Musicians and Muscles presenta- working Secretary-Treasurer, Susan, and our staff, Mary, tion, and our most recent Annual Meeting on St. Patrick’s Kathy, Reverend and Frankie, have kept things going, and Day. It is always a pleasure to see you in person and directly going the extra distance to do the work necessary to keep hear your comments and concerns. I also look forward to things moving forward. And lastly, thanks to our Executive seeing many of you at our annual 30/50-Year Party in May, continued on page 2 LIVE LINKS to What’s in This Issue Our Advertisers WindWords . 3 Local 5 Support Line . 16 These fine folks helped bring you this issue of Keynote . Your support will Tempo Contributions . 4 Comedy Corner . 16 assure their continued advertising . Classified Advertisements . 4 Detroit Musicians Fund Gifts . 16 Bugs Beddow . 24 Saucy Sylvia Dream Come True . 6 Member Newsline . 17 David Horger . 24 Turn Off Fox 2 . 8 Welcome, New Members . 18 Johnny Rodriguez . 7 Executive Board Meeting Minutes 10-14. Member Directory Changes . .18-19 Kim Hawes, Realtor . 11 MPTF Performance Photos . 12-13. Obtaining a Membership Directory . 20 Linda Bruton, Business Lawyer . 21 Yo-Yo Ma in Detroit . 12-13 MusiCares for Music People . 20 McKenzie Academy of Music . 20 DFM Referral Gigs . 14 Closing Chord . 22 Michael Weeden . 17 About eBilling Notification . 14 Calendar of Local 5 Events . 24 Stewart-Anderson Enterprises . 20 Hilary Hahn Tribute to Alvin Score . 15 BONUS MPTF Photos. 24-25 WSU Music Department . 9 The Music Stand, continued from page 1 Keynote Board for their extra effort and often called “right-to-work” state like Ten- making difficult decisions. If our pro- nessee, does its capital city, Nashville, Editor George Troia, Jr . jections are correct, this will be our less than half a state away from Chat- Managing Editor best year of the last several years. tanooga, have the third-largest Musi- Susan Barna Ayoub cians Union Local in the AFM, Local Graphic Designer Why Union? Virginia L . Hunt 257? Why do over 2,300 musicians, Printed by We have heard this question a lot these whose ranks include luminaries and Messenger Printing Service days, especially in Michigan with Billboard top moneymakers like Tay- Published by the new so called “right-to-work” lor Swift and Kenny Chesney, believe Detroit Federation of Musicians Local 5, law but particularly in regard to the it is important to belong to a union American Federation of Musicians UAW vote that was recently taken while others in the same state are be- Keynote Ad Rates at a Volks wagen plant in Tennessee. ing told their membership in a union Full page $225 .00 2/3 page $155 .00 It is no secret that the UAW has not will ward off potential business op- 1/2 page $120 .00 had the best experience in organiz- portunities? Doesn’t make sense! As 1/3 page $80 .00 ing automobile plants in the South, Aretha sings, “Who’s zoomin’ who?” 1/4 page $60 .00 1/6 page $40 .00 especially among foreign automakers. The Michigan touted on billboards 1/8 page $30 .00 Is this latest attempt that much dif- features a decayed Packard plant, 25% discount to members ferent? Well, yes it is. I was surprised which really has had nothing to do All ads must be union compliant. by how many voted to adopt a union. with the UAW since the early ’50s, Call for rate card and full details . Materials deadlines: January 15, I believe some of those workers re- when it ceased auto production. It April 15, July 15, October 15 alize that an industry standard actu- does not accurately reflect the Michi- ally created by the UAW accounts for gan I grew up in, and I’m sure I have LOCAL 5 COMMITTEES DSO Negotiating Committee: their pay standards and not so much seen similar scenes of urban decay Karl Pituch, chairman; Bryan Kennedy; the benevolence of their employers. in Tennessee and especially in South Peter McCaffrey; Robert Stiles; This year, the Ford Motor Company Carolina. Speaking of South Carolina, Kenneth Thompkins will pay its members a profit-sharing their governor, Nikki Haley, chimed DSO Orchestra Committee: Haden McKay, chairman; Ethan Allen; check of $8,800, while the Big Three in on the issue, “We don’t need unions, Dave Everson, Bryan Kennedy; will pay out a combined $18,000 per we keep kickin’ them out.” (Source: Robert Stiles worker as a UAW-negotiated benefit Video interview with the Greenville Keynote Committee: David Denniston; Alonza McKenzie; for its members. Not a bad bonus for News). I assume such was the case George Troia; Susan Barna Ayoub the investment in union membership. when the Charleston Symphony re- Local 5 Development Committee: On a recent CNBC Squawk Box cently decertified from the AFM only George Troia; Susan Barna Ayoub; David Denniston; Alonza McKenzie; interview, Bill Ford cited the UAW to have one of the proponents of the Paul Onachuk and its former President, Ron Get- decertification, principal trumpet Mi- MOT Orchestra Committee: tlefinger, as not getting enough credit chael Smith, assume the executive di- Greg Near, chairman; Carrie Banfield, vice president; Bill King, treasurer; for helping Ford get through the rectorship of that organization. South Barbara Zmich, ROPA delegate; rough time in 2008, helping them to Carolina can boast of one of the low- Charlotte Merkerson, secretary; avoid bankruptcy, commenting, “La- est per-capita earnings ratios (48 of Andrew Pelletier, member at large; Robert Reed, union steward bor unions helped save Ford Motor, as the 50 states) in the country. competitors such as General Motors Unfortunately, what I have seen ≥ went bankrupt.” personally in these Southern cities is Another question is why, in a so- continued on page 5 2 || Keynote || in our building. One of our longtime tenants is a small union – NABET- AFM Local 5 CWA Local 43. They are the local for by Susan “Home of the Pros” the National Association of Broadcast Barna Ayoub, Employees and Technicians that rep- President Local 5 George Troia, Jr ., ext . 1 Secretary- resent workers at Fox 2 Detroit. We’ve pres@detroitmusicians .net Treasurer included a short article by their presi- Vice President dent, Doreatha Brown-Maxey about Douglas Cornelsen dcl2dso@sbcglobal .net the Turn Off Fox 2 campaign. Secretary-Treasurer think you will find this issue of the Susan Barna Ayoub, ext . 3 sec-tres@detroitmusicians .net Keynote to be a particularly inter- Yo-Yo Ma in Town I Executive Board esting one. We have a handful of spe- On April 9, AFM Local 802 (NYC) Robert Conway cial articles for your enjoyment. David Denniston member Yo-Yo Ma was in town to Robert Lymperis On page 6, thanks to the Newport perform with the DSO. It was a spec- Alonza McKenzie (RI) Daily News, we are reprinting an tacular event, inspiring the DSO mu- Paul N . Onachuk A.F. of M. Convention Delegate article about our member “Saucy” sicians as well as the audience. Young Gordon Stump Sylvia Mureddu, who is being in- cellist Joshua McClendon (student of Michael McGowan – Alternate President Emeritus ducted into the Rhode Island Radio Local 5 and DSO cellist Paul Wing- Gordon Stump Hall of Fame. Though I’ve never met ert and winner of scholarships from Secretary-Treasurer Emeritus Byron X . Taylor her, she is a lot of fun to talk with on both Al McKenzie’s In Accord Assistant to the President the phone. Sylvia was in Detroit for Foundation and the James Tatum Mary Johnstone, ext . 5 15 years and, during that time, was the Foundation) was treated to box seats mary@detroitmusicians .net Membership Administration chairperson of the AFM Public Rela- at the concert. Yo-Yo Ma also was a Membership, ext . 6 & 0 tions Committee at the conventions.