Allegro Associated Musicians of Greater New York
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www.local802afm.org associated musicians of greater new York AllegroApril 2011 Vol 111, No. 4 photo: walter karling walter photo: A new deAl on broAdwAy Above, Local 802 member Kathy Sommer casts her ballot. Musicians overwhelmingly approved the new agreement. Story on page 11. n news & views LOCAL 802 oFFicerS UNioN repS ANd orgANizerS tino gagliardi, President Claudia Copeland (Theatre) Jay Blumenthal, Financial Vice President Bob Cranshaw (Jazz consultant) John o’connor, Recording Vice President Karen Fisher (Concert) execUtiVe BoArd Marisa Friedman (Theatre, Teaching artists) Bud Burridge, Bettina Covo, Patricia Shane Gasteyer (Organizing) Dougherty, Martha Hyde, Gail Kruvand, Bob Pawlo (Electronic media) Tom Olcott, Maxine Roach, Andy Richard Schilio (Club dates, Hotels) Schwartz, Clint Sharman David Sheldon (Electronic media) Peter Voccola triAL BoArd (Long Island) Roger Blanc, Sara Cutler, Tony Gorruso, Todd Weeks (Jazz) Eugene Moye, Marilyn Reynolds, SicK Pay & HoSpitALizAtioN FUNd/ Madelyn Rubinstein, Steve Shulman, HeALtH BeNeFitS FUNd Bob Suttmann, Dan Willis AdMiNiStrAtor deLegAteS to AFM coNVeNtioN Gloria McCormick Bud Burridge, Gail Kruvand, Eugene Moye, Tom Olcott, Andy Schwartz ALLegro Mikael Elsila (Editor, Advertising Musicians at the Stamford Symphony have been working without a contract since last deLegAteS to NeW yorK city Manager and Graphic Designer) ceNtrAL LABor coUNciL September. Above, musicians and Local 802 officials passed out informational flyers before a John O’Connor, Tom Olcott Allegro redesign (2011) by Tony Sutton, recent concert. From left: Local 802 Financial Vice president Jay Blumenthal with musicians NDA Inc., www.newsdesign.net don Batchelder, Judy Sugarman, Maureen Hynes and Lisa tipton. deLegAteS to NeW yorK StAte AFL-CIO Martha Hyde, John O’Connor HeAdQUARTERS: 322 West 48th Street, deLegAte to UNited HeBreW trAdeS New york, Ny 10036 Andy Schwartz Phone: (212) 245-4802 Web site: www.Local802afm.org SUperViSiNg oFFicerS tino gagliardi: Radio City, Lincoln LoNg iSLANd oFFice: 54 Sunnyside Showdown in Center Orchestras, Theatres Blvd., Plainview, NY 11803 Jay Blumenthal: Single Engagement (516) 576-9436 Concerts, Symphony, Opera, Ballet, Music Performance Fund oFFice HoUrS: Daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. John o’connor: Organizing, Electronic except Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays dUeS WiNdoW closes at 3 p.m. Stamford Media, Club Dates, Hotels, Nightclubs, Jazz and Latin cHecKS WiNdoW closes at 4:30 p.m. (6 p.m. on Wednesdays) t’S tiMe For coNtroLLer justice in Stamford. As years, management is insisting on slash- members know, Local 802 recently ing compensation below current scale Ira Goldman ALLEGRO (ISSN 0002-5704) is published expanded its jurisdiction to include for one year and offering a performance monthly, except for a single summer issue, AssiStANt to tHe preSideNt ANd Stamford, Conn., and its surround- rate of a mere one dollar above the cur- superViSor oF tHe tHeAtre depArtMeNt at an annual subscription rate of $25 for I ing areas. But even before that, we were rent rate in the third and fourth contract non-members in the U.S. and $30 out of Mary Donovan on the front line of a struggle with the years. This amounts to an increase of country, by Local 802, Associated Musicians management of the Stamford Sympho- less than one half of 1 percent. The lat- poLitical and Public relations director of Greater New York, 322 West 48th Street, Paul Molloy ny, whose musicians we represent. est management proposals for rehearsal New York, NY 10036. Periodicals postage The Stamford Symphony, unlike that rates are also frozen for four years at a AssiStant to tHe Financial Vice preSideNt paid at New York, NY and additional of many performing arts ensembles in rate below musicians’ current rehearsal Frances McDonald offices (USPS #013-880). Copyright 2011. this economy, remains in a strong posi- rates. All of this results in increases that POSTMASTER: Send address changes to director oF orgANiziNg ANd tion financially. However, despite sev- do not even come close to keeping up ALLEGRO, Local 802, 322 West 48th Street, SUperViSor oF club dAteS eral major concessions offered by Local with the cost of living. New York, NY 10036. Michael Donovan 802 – including a pay freeze – manage- SUperViSor oF eLectroNic MediA Allegro is printed at Webb Communications, ment’s unreasonable demands have re- equal pay for equal work SerViceS ANd AdMiNiStrAtor oF a union shop. sulted in the orchestra working without The major stumbling block has been MUSic prepArAtioN a contract since Sept. 1, 2010. the two-tiered payment system insisted Steve Danenberg to reach Allegro: (646) 765-9663 or The Stamford musicians fully respect upon by management that would slash [email protected] or the institution’s need for fiscal respon- the wages of the freelance musicians Allegro, Local 802, 322 West 48th Street, sibility, but even though they have of- who frequently substitute for regular New York, NY 10036 fered to accept a one-year pay freeze members. The lower wages – a cut of 23 and modest increases over the next two percent from the full rate – represent a 2 ALLegro | April 2011 n news & views Stamford Symphony musicians ask for fair pay, no two-tier system devastating attack on freelancers; its ac- irreparably harm this institution.” said breaking point. Most recently, in pursuit of this fair or sustainable?” ceptance will set a dangerous precedent Jay Blumenthal, Financial Vice Presi- marginal savings, management enforced a “Musicians can be paid fairly with- for the entire field, creating a race to the dent. “In fact, all of the members of the plan to consolidate rehearsals, mandating out impairing the orchestra’s mission bottom among orchestras that use free- Stamford Symphony Orchestra earn a a rehearsal directly prior to each Saturday to expand and grow.” said Blumenthal, lance players. This inevitably will affect significant part of their livings substitut- performance, which prevents many of “We are hopeful that this issue can be the livelihoods of all musicians, including ing for musicians in other orchestras. If them from teaching the Saturday after- equitably resolved before the end of the the SSO’s rostered players, who rely on this sort of caste system proliferates, it noon music lessons that constitute a sub- Orchestra’s season in April.” freelance work to supplement the small will undermine the entire classical free- stantial part of their income. salary they receive from SSO. Under man- lance community of musicians, making Stamford management has also pro- agement’s proposal it will not be possible it impossible for even the most skilled posed building a larger audience by to sustain the quality of musicianship musicians to support their families by adding concerts outside Stamford that that audiences have come to expect from performing as freelance musicians and would be compensated at only 38 per- the Stamford Symphony Orchestra. forcing many to leave the profession.” cent of the musicians’ current perfor- “This is a basic question of equal pay mance wage. While musicians are com- for equal work,” said longtime principal Musicians make good faith efforts mitted to being partners in the SSO’s trumpeter Don Batchelder, who is also Musicians have been active partners marketing efforts, slashing their pay for principal trumpeter of the New York City in efforts to build an audience and con- these concerts severely impacts their Opera Orchestra. “This is a fantastic or- tribute to the community, giving their ability to support their families. chestra, and all of us play as subs in lots expertise and time, mentoring local “Would a trained professional in of other ensembles. We all rely on a level schoolchildren and playing a major role any other field agree to work for playing field in terms of pay, wherever in planning last year’s benefit concert only 38 percent of their pay rate?” From left, concert rep Karen Fisher and we work. Take that away, and you take for Haiti that raised $25,000 and spread asks violinist Susan Lorentsen, “Who most of the Stamford Symphony orchestra away our ability to make a living.” goodwill in the Stamford community. would? As an example, after paying committee: peter Weitzner, Laura Bald, “Stamford Symphony CEO Barbara But instead of considering the musi- for a babysitter and transportation, I don Batchelder, Susan Lorentsen and Soroca seems oblivious to the fact that cians’ constructive suggestions, man- would actually be losing money. I love Lisa tipon. Lois Martin also serves on the the proposed two-tiered structure will agement continues to push them to the playing in this orchestra, but how is committee but was not pictured. April 2011 | ALLegro 3 n news & views Broadway at its best The League and 802 reach a mutually beneficial agreement ArcH was A very busy First, visit www.DetroitSymphony port of others. That’s why the Executive month. First of all, as you Musicians.org and click on the link on Board unanimously passed a motion in can see by our cover story, president’s the left-hand sidebar that says “Support support of the union workers in these Mmusicians have overwhelm- us.” Then select “Donate,” and please fights. For the latest in Wisconsin, one ingly ratified the new Broadway agree- report give whatever you can afford. great source is the Facebook page of ment. Thanks to the preparedness of Secondly, the DSO is asking musicians Jobs With Justice; search for it. the Broadway Theatre Committee and titiNo gAgLLiiArdi to wear special blue wristbands to sig- Other issues are a little closer to its negotiating team, we had a clear un- nify their solidarity. To get a wristband, home. We are sending our Political derstanding of what our priorities were, go to www.SaveOurSymphony.info and Public Relations Director Paul going into these talks. The details of the and click on the picture on the right- Molloy to Arts Advocacy Day in [email protected] agreement can be found in the story hand side of the fist raised with the blue Washington, D.C.