Nearly 50 years ago, Congress passed the Occupational Safety and Health Act, promising every worker the right to a safe job. Unions and our allies have fought hard to make that promise a reality—winning protections that have made jobs safer and saved lives. But our work is not done. Each year, thousands of workers are killed and millions more suffer injury or illness because of their jobs. Continue reading
AFM Local 47 Life Member Abraham Laboriel has lived a life surrounded by music.
Born in Mexico City, his parents were Garifuna immigrants from Honduras. His sister is singer Ela Laboriel, and their brother was late rock singer Johnny Laboriel. Abraham is the father of drummer Abe Laboriel Jr. and of producer, songwriter, and film composer Mateo Laboriel — both of whom are also proud members of the Los Angeles musicians union. Continue reading
In honor of Earth Day, see what these AFM Local 47 musicians are doing to save our environment.
In response to a laudatory article about the non-union Kaleidoscope Chamber Orchestra titled “This orchestra wants no conductor: How Kaleidoscope aims to move in different directions” published in the LA Times by Rick Schultz on Feb. 13, 2019, we share another view written by AFM Local 47 Director Vivian Wolf. Kaleidoscope refuses to sign onto an AFM contract and currently appears on the union’s Do Not Work For list for failure to pay musicians according to industry standards. Along with the entire Executive Board, Wolf is deeply concerned about this situation, and Local 47 will continue to reach out to Kaleidoscope in order to discuss organizing the orchestra and its musicians under an AFM agreement.
It was with great interest that I read the article by Rick Schultz describing the Kaleidoscope Chamber Orchestra. The article was highly laudatory and indeed, there is much to praise about the ensemble founded by Benjamin Mitchell. It is the only conductor-less orchestra in the Los Angeles area, it brings music to unique venues and champions new repertoire. What it doesn’t do, is pay the performers a fair wage. In fact, by refusing any involvement with the American Federation of Musicians Local 47, Kaleidoscope is exploiting the enthusiasm and energy of its young musicians. Even though the ensemble receives many large contributions, the orchestra does not have any kind of contract and certainly doesn’t offer the players any health or pension benefits — benefits that would be in play under a union contract. Continue reading
Thomas Stevens
The Center for Advanced Musical Studies is delighted to announce the Thomas Stevens Memorial Scholarship, a scholarship for young trumpeters who embody the musicality, educational drive and compassion of the brilliant trumpeter, composer, pedagogue, and friend Thomas Stevens (1938-2018). Continue reading
by Linda A. Rapka
A self-proclaimed torchbearer for its uniquely innovative hybrid art, the Symphonic Jazz Orchestra proudly stands as the only orchestra in the nation dedicated solely to blending the worlds of jazz and classical music. Since its founding in 2001, the 67-piece orchestra has commissioned 13 new works and performed seven world premieres, along with three U.S. premieres. Each year SJO presents a free symphonic jazz concert for the community at the Carpenter Performing Arts center at Cal State Long Beach, and this year’s concert in March included a rare arrangement of “Rhapsody in Blue” with Grammy Award-winning pianist Bill Cunliffe. Continue reading
Jerry Sharell, his son Jeff and Vice President Rick Baptist in front of the Frank Sinatra mural at AFM Local 47.
One fateful night in 1980, AFM Local 47 member Jerry Sharell jumped on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity thanks to his friend, Nancy Sinatra. The daughter of legendary “Rat Pack” performer Frank Sinatra invited Sharell to her father’s concert at Los Angeles’ Universal Amphitheater, where he performed with full orchestra. Continue reading
On March 28, 2019, AFM Local 47 musicians, caregivers, elected officials, and community leaders joined members of SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West at a rally at Cedars-Sinai to support their fight to protect their bargaining rights and voice on the job. Continue reading
Robert Hioki (trombone), Dave Reagan (President, SEIU-UHW), Tony Jones (leader/drums), and Dan Weinstein (trumpet).
On March 28, AFM Local 47 musicians, caregivers, elected officials, and community leaders joined members of SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West at a rally at Cedars-Sinai to support their fight to protect their bargaining rights and voice on the job.
Along with the rally, SEIU has unveiled a series of billboards throughout Los Angeles calling out Cedars-Sinai Medical Center’s excessive profits and CEO compensation, at the same time the hospital provides one of the worst levels of charity care in the city. The 959-bed facility employs a staff of 2,000 physicians and 10,000 other workers. Of the more than 1,800 workers who are members of SEIU-UHW, their contract with Cedars-Sinai expired March 31, 2019.
India.Arie Simpson is among a small class of post-millennial R&B artists more likely to recall the likes of Roberta Flack and Bill Withers than almost any given artist played by urban contemporary radio stations. Continue reading