Confidentiality Policy for Membership Meetings of the American Federation of Musicians Local 47
Adopted by the Local 47 Executive Board May 2015

WHEREAS, it is essential that American Federation of Musicians, Local 47 (“Local 47”) officers, leaders and members have the full confidence that they can speak honestly and frankly in union meetings without fear that their words and their images will be reproduced in the news media or on the internet without their knowledge or permission; and

WHEREAS, without such meetings and the free and open debate among union members that they allow, the democratic deliberations of Local 47 are diminished and the ability of the union to learn and represent the views of its members is undermined; and

WHEREAS, because certain conflicts of interest exist between Local 47 and dual-capacity members who employ members under Local 47’s collective bargaining agreements, and those conflicts of interest mean that dual-capacity members may not participate in certain aspects of Local 47’s business, including certain actions taken at Local 47’s membership meetings; and

WHEREAS, there are ample opportunities for those who wish to make their views known publicly to do so outside of union meetings and without reproducing the words or images of the members, leaders and officers and without revealing sensitive and confidential information that is not available to all members;

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of these premises, we adopt the following policy with respect to General Membership meetings of Local 47:

1. This Board affirms the vital principle that our union be able to hold union meetings, without the proceedings being recorded and disseminated in public forums, in order to encourage the widest possible freedom of communication and deliberation among union members and leaders;

2. This Board calls upon all in its ranks to respect the right of their fellow members to meet and deliberate in union meetings, secure in the knowledge that their words and their images will not be transmitted or reproduced without their permission;

3. Any member who violates this resolution shall be deemed to have infringed on the members’ right to participation and freely assemble as defined in Article XIII, Section 1 of Local 47’s Bylaws and may be disciplined accordingly.