Greetings Fellow Musicians,

As of the writing of this report, we are only a handful of days away from the one-year mark since the first shutdown due to the pandemic. And while many things have ground to a halt these past 12 months, necessity has proven to be the mother of invention for many individuals as well as organizations.

On a local level, several of our members have taken to the internet to livestream performances and provide virtual music lessons.

Internationally speaking, the AFM has been creating side-letters of agreement for musicians working under collective bargaining agreements (CBAs), in order to cover wages and working conditions for virtual recording and live performance under Covid-19 restrictions and guidelines.

Orlando Philharmonic News

Related to the paragraph above, Local 389 has had the good fortune to have Debbie Newmark (from Symphonic Services) and Jane Owen (International negotiator) working closely and often with the Orchestra Committee in writing and negotiating much language covering live streaming terms and conditions for the musicians.

Jane has also taken the reigns in our negotiations with the OPO, seeking to overhaul our CBA and bring it up to date with the symphonic world as it relates to the many changes caused by the pandemic.

Price List hurdles and adjustments

While I prefer not to begin each topic referencing the pandemic, the reality of its impact seems to lurk in every corner of our industry. This being the case, one cannot look at our local scales without bringing the current crises of our profession into view. The scales we have operated under are written to address our craft in a “normal” economy. And obviously, things are not “normal” in the entertainment industry by any standards of the past decade. This being the case, our Price List committee is in a holding pattern for the time being, as we want to be cautious of making changes to our scales before we have an idea of what life will look like for our musicians as we leave the pandemic in the rearview mirror in the near (hopefully near, that is) future. While that is the decision at this time, please still feel free to reach out to Sam Zambito (samzam@me.com) with any thoughts or ideas you have on the subject

Theater Committee

Before the Pandemic began, Local 389 had been discussing the formation of a theater committee to focus on the needs of theater musicians. This is another area in which time will be needed to see where things stand after the pandemic. However, Local member Christopher Leavy has graciously volunteered to head such a committee, and he has a few members on board already. If you have interest, you can find Chris’s info on the Local member portal.

Speaking of the Local member portal … see the next topic!

Your information is much needed!

We still have approximately 200 members who have yet to register with our new database. Just look for the invitation email sent Friday, March 5 and follow the steps. It’s as easy as placing an online order and only takes about 10 minutes. Once there, you can take advantage of this great networking and informational tool. When registering, be sure to choose a billing cycle, upload a profile photo, enter a short professional biography, make your directory entry visible to other members (or not) and lots more. Call or email if you have any difficulty. 

On a personal closing note

It is good in times of great stress to remember that you are not alone! So this report comes with the hope that we might all consider drawing strength from each other through our common struggle, as the pandemic has hit almost all of our members in very impactful ways. As you know, the Local is made up of individuals who share the gift of music and most of us have experienced various levels of discouragement and loss. But I’ve also heard from many of you who have found ways to overcome, which, when shared, can serve to lift us up and provide hope for the future! So please indulge a word of  encouragement: if you need an ear, please reach out to a fellow musician, as we all desperately need each other! Hope to see you live on Zoom at our next membership meeting April 1 at 10 am.

In your service … Mike