Rally tomorrow at 9AM at Lincoln Center
As you may know, Metropolitan Opera management has been threatening a lockout of its musicians at the end of today if they do not accept major concessions. Negotiations thus far have not been successful in moving Peter Gelb away from his draconian demands.
By Local 802 President Tino Gagliardi
The following is a transcript of Local 802 President Tino Gagliardi’s remarks on Aug. 12 in support of Bill de Blasio’s candidacy for mayor of New York City. The announcement event was held on the pedestrian plaza at the corner of Broadway and 44th Street in the heart of the Broadway theatre district. This article will also appear in the September 2013 issue of Allegro, the magazine of Local 802.
Bill de Blasio accepted Local 802′s endorsement on Aug. 12 at a spirited press conference in Times Square that featured live music performed by Local 802 members. Photo: New Yorkers for de Blasio
Text by Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi
Honestly I still don’t know whether Bill De Blasio is the right candidate for NY’s musicians. (The other candidates aren’t better.) Every time when I listen to his speech he never speaks about musicians’ issues, such as fair pay scale, pension contributions by the club owners, importance of music in everyday life, music education and music entertainment/service. So I still can’t recommend him. If he becomes mayor I try to remind him – of course with the help of my union which endorsed him – of his unspoken promise to improve the lives of musicians in NY….What do we want? Justice For Jazz Artists!
I think whoever wins the election means nothing for us musicians. We still have to continue to fight for our rights with or without our union!
Local 802 members are alerted to the struggle of Cablevision workers to win a fair contract through their union, CWA (Communications Workers of America). James Dolan is the owner of Cablevision and has engaged in a virulent and illegal anti-union activity in an attempt to defeat the workers’ quest for fairness.
Dolan also fronts a band called JD and the Straight Shot. He has been known to hire AFM members, including Local 802 musicians. JD and the Straight Shot is currently touring as the opening act for the Eagles. There may be union activity by CWA at some or all of the places of engagement where JD and the Straight Shot is performing to protest James Dolan’s union busting behavior.
We therefore caution all 802 members who are considering employment with JD and the Straight Shot. For more info on this campaign, please visit www.facebook.com/cablevision99
Reprinted from the February 2013 issue of Allegro, the magazine of the New York City musicians’ union (AFM Local 802). For more information, see www.Local802afm.org. The original article can be seen at this link: http://www.local802afm.org/2013/02/union-effort-continues-to-pay-off/
This January marked the second year of the contract between Local 802 and the NYC Winter Jazzfest. The festival, now in its ninth year, showcases a wide variety of jazz artists over two days in several Greenwich Village venues.
The union agreement was organized in 2011, when a committee of musicians who had played the festival, along with Local 802, brought the festival’s promoters to the table though an online petition drive.
