The current state of our Local reflects a dramatic transformation from our circumstances only one year ago.
Last May, the term “SOS” served as an actual cry for help. Our daily operations required us to draw from investments because our expenditures were outpacing our income for both the Local and the Musicians’ Club.
In 2026, we have reclaimed SOS to signify our primary objectives: Stabilize, Organize, and Strategize. Our administration, elected on these principles, is already fulfilling that promise.
Since January, we have decreased payroll expenses by eliminating two positions. This led to a net profit in the first quarter of 2026, which is a major milestone in securing the financial stability of our local. Regarding the finances of the Musicians’ Club of Los Angeles, it is important to note that maintaining our building represents a significant financial commitment. I am pleased to report that the “Club” has seen an increase in revenue, largely due to the hard work of Vice President Acosta. We have successfully leased the former SAG-AFTRA Credit Union space, which had been vacant since 2022, and secured tenants for several monthly commercial parking spaces at the rear of our property. While these new income streams do not yet fully cover our annual property taxes, they bring us much closer to that objective.
We are broadening our connection within our community. The Overture, our monthly publication, has transitioned to a blog format. This change allows you to navigate articles more efficiently; instead of endless scrolling, you can simply select “Read More” to view full articles directly on our website.
There is an upcoming volunteer opportunity on Saturday, May 9th. The US Postal Service Letter Carriers, part of the union family, sponsors an annual food drive called “Stamp Out Hunger”. Our Local has adopted the Bicentennial/West Hollywood Post Office located at 7610 Beverly Blvd. Please contact Director of Organizing Eva Nevarez for the details on how you can participate. We will be sorting food donations collected by the letter carriers for distribution to families in need by the Labor Community Services Fund. You might remember that this organization stepped up with food, grocery gift cards, air purifiers, etc in the aftermath of the wildfires which impacted so many in our community.Please join us as we support this truly meaningful effort.
Our social media accounts have grown with the addition of Flickr. We will be consolidating photos in this account. You can find it here. https://www.flickr.com/photos/204124223@N07/
In our efforts to organize musicians within the political arena, the Local 47 Executive Board has endorsed candidates in the upcoming local elections.
Specifically, we have endorsed Karen Bass for Mayor of Los Angeles and Maria Elena Durazo for the LA County Board of Supervisors. Both candidates possess a strong history of supporting labor and maintain significant backing across the movement. Just as broader labor strategies focus on leveraging influence at the ballot box, Local 47 is committed to doing the same. We encourage you to review the LA County Federation of Labor Voters Guide included in this issue.
As union members, we urge you to support candidates who are committed to advancing our collective interests.
Your Executive Board will be embarking on a strategic planning process in the coming months. This planning is critical to identifying our strengths and weaknesses and establishing goals to grow our Local into the future.
All members in good standing are welcome to observe our weekly Executive Board meetings. We meet every Tuesday morning beginning at 10 a.m. please contact st_sec@afm47.org to request the Zoom link for the meeting.
Team work makes the dream work!