February 2018 (Edited for Web)
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Rex Allen, Big Band Leader: “The Biggest Thrill In The World.” Musical News by Alex Walsh pg 4 January - February 2018 | Vol. 90, No. 1 For The Benefit Of All by Kale Cumings, President We arrived in San existence, it has been the relationships Of course we face many challenges: Francisco well I’ve made with the community of the economic and social pressures after midnight. I musicians here in San Francisco in our society, the increasing gulf wasn’t sure the that have sustained me through the between the richest and poorest, and U-haul could reality of a working musician’s life. the unprecedented transformation of make it up the When I played my first orchestral the employer/employee relationship. seemingly— job and observed the protections and For the working musician, these to a born compensation that were already in pressures add enormous difficulty In This Issue. Midwesterner— place for me, I realized I benefited to an already demanding profession. vertical street to our new Potrero Hill greatly from the tireless and diligent In working to find solutions to these Kale Cumings Article apartment. With our used Audi still work of the many people who came problems, what is not possible for a Beth Zare Article hitched to the back, we stopped in a before me. I am grateful for the many lone individual becomes a reality for New & Reinstated Members deserted parking lot south of Market years of thoughtful leadership from a group of engaged and concerned Members Suspended / Dropped / to unhitch the car. After spending people currently with the union and people working together. This is and the last several days driving from from those that I will never meet. always has been the core value of Resignations Chicago with our baby daughter, we Continuing this tradition is why unionism. Rex Allen Article were all exhausted and anxious to I’m excited to begin my tenure as TEMPO get settled in--I remember thinking in President of Local 6. When I remember that eerie feeling of CBA List that moment that we must be crazy to loneliness my family and I had in that 2018 Directory Change of Address upend our lives like this. Twenty years The debt of gratitude continues. deserted parking lot our first night in Petition for Multi-Card Rebate later, that little baby girl, and later on President David Schoenbrun has been The City, I am greatly heartened by her brother, are true Californians. And an amazingly gracious mentor, from the knowledge that even then there Auditions this has become home for me, too. my first reaction to being asked about existed a large and active community running (“What?!? No way!”) up to of musicians working together for the While it’s true that I originally this very day. His careful guidance benefit of all. We are truly stronger became a musician for its glamourous through this transition has been and together than we are alone. lifestyle, easy money, and stress-free continues to be invaluable to me. In Memoriam John Evans What Do I Know About Solidarity by Beth Zare, Secretary-Treasurer Douglas Lunn One might I certainly don’t feel like an authority Local 6 quickly got word to our North think a union which is why it has been so hard for Bay members about free disaster officer would me to write this article. I couldn’t relief. Teamsters Local 665 helped get be well versed find a way to approach the sentiment musical instruments into the hands Life Members on the meaning of solidarity until calamity struck. of children who had lost theirs in the of solidarity There is a long history of cooperation fire. Former President of Local 292 William Tuck Andress but truthfully, in the face of crisis as I think back on William “Bob” Williams, helped track I can go for the immediate aftermath of 9/11 as down displaced musicians who had Steven Doherty days without a time of great solidarity. The same lost their homes and delivered gift Victor Fierro Jr. thinking about it, is true after most major earthquakes cards and relief checks courtesy of especially when times are good and or hurricanes. For Local 6 it was the the North Bay Labor Council and the Patrick E Kennedy things are really going well. That is North Bay Wildfires. Redwood Credit Union. Pamela G Smith why solidarity has been on my mind Rosi Urbano lately… since November 9, 2016 to be The day after the fires started Local 6 This is how I am reminded that exact. member, Rob Ashley created a website solidarity exists in good times and (afm6emergencyhousing.yclas.com) bad. Local 6 promotes togetherness On January 20, 2017 many people, when he learned that some of the and union awareness through our myself included, marched in solidarity hotels were price gouging. “I imagine social events year-round. Last August at the Women’s March, the largest many musicians had very little time to over 100 members attended the Life mass mobilization that any new gather their belongings, maybe even Member Lunch and then another administration had seen on its first their instruments. I created a website 100 people with their families shared day. This felt like solidarity. for members to help one another ideas and food at the Labor Day during this crisis and was blown away Picnic. We even had smaller events, Then during this past NFL season I by how many colleagues volunteered such as the Golf Tournament and watched as players and owners locked their homes to other musicians in Union Day at AT&T Park where we arms with each other in response to need.” watched the Giants lose. (This year the President’s demand that team has to be better!) These events instill owners “fire or suspend” players who Former Board Member of Local 292 an awareness of others and allow us knelt during the National Anthem. (Santa Rosa), Joe Dupre called to ask if to break free from a me-first mentality The silent rebuke represented an we could help him find a music stand and remember we are stronger when unprecedented collective action and a black suit so he could keep we stick together. among players and owners, who are playing his gigs. He had just enough often at odds. That made me think time to grab his violin before he lost Not being an authority on solidarity, about how two opposing sides can everything in the fire. Through the I can still say that I am proud to be a come together to show solidarity communications on Rob’s website Joe part of this beautiful group of people when they are both under attack. was fully outfitted by Siegel’s Tuxedo who just happen to be musicians. PERMIT NO. 454 PERMIT Shop at 2366 Mission Street in San NON-PROFIT ORG. NON-PROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PAID U.S. POSTAGE SAN FRANCISCO, CA In the #metoo movement, I watched Francisco, including shoes! as one personal story after another came to light, which turned them into a pattern with shared strength. More Swearing-In Ceremony important than the individual story New Officers and Board Members: was that each woman felt empowered Front row, left to right: to speak her truth. Together, they Forrest Byram - Vice President found their collective voice. Steve Hanson - Director David Schoenbrun - President Even with all that knowledge I Hall Goff - Director couldn’t answer the question, “What (back row) is solidarity?” when attending an AFM Gretchen Elliott - Trustee leadership training in November. Beth Zare - Secretary-Treasurer Fourteen other very smart officers Jo Gray - Director from around the US and Canada sat Meredith Brown - Trustee Musicians Union Local 6 - 9th Street 116 94103 San Francisco, CA there in silence with me. Kale Cumings - Current President Your Trusted Servants... Musicians For Pension Security Official Bulletin of Local 6 Officers Musicians For Pension Security serving to keep us all up to date Musicians Union Local 6 Kale Cumings, President (MPS), based in New York, is a with news about legislative actions American Federation of Musicians Forrest Byram, Vice-President newly formed pension awareness being considered in Congress. Beth Zare, Secretary-Treasurer group made up of AFM union Please go to their web site and Beth Zare, Editor members who are currently learn more about MPS. You can Alex Walsh, Managing Editor vested in the AFM-EPF Pension learn about the status of our fund, Board Of Directors Fund. Members include Adam alliances made with other unions, Gretchen Elliott, Trustee The Musical News is published bi-monthly by Krauthamer, Carol Zeavin, Pete and how to sign up for informative Hall Goff, Trustee Musicians Union Local 6, AFM. Any notice Donovan, Sylvia D'Avanzo, Elise emails sent out periodically by Steve Hanson, Trustee appearing herein shall be considered to be Frawley, and senior policy and legal MPS. Meredith Brown, Director an official notice to the membership. The advisor, Jon Kantor. They have Josephine Gray, Director appearance herein of an article or an become a well-informed group of When a benefit as important as advertisement does not imply an endorsement rank and file AFM members quite our pension comes under stress, it by the editors. President Emeritus concerned about our pension. takes everyone vested looking for Melinda Wagner solutions. Our AFM leadership can With many multi employer pension use all the help it can get! Contact Us funds coming under stress due Staff Tony Orbasido - Recording, Reception (x301) to under-funding, MPS has been www.musiciansforpensionsecurity.com Musicians Union Local 6 Lori Ponton Rodriguez - Treasury (x304) 116 - 9th Street Joe Rodriguez - Casuals (x306) San Francisco, CA 94103 Cheryl Fippen - MPTF, Death Benefits (x307) phone (415) 575-0777 Alex Walsh - Member Services (x308) fax (415) 863-6173 [email protected] Do We Have Money For You? Area-Wide Casual Wage Scale www.afm6.org Committee There is a huge list of unclaimed royalties from SAG-AFTRA Lisa Sanchez, Chair Ray Buyco Office Hours for sound recordings, AV products and symphonic recordings.