Departments

Office of the President

The President oversees the operation and administration of the union as a whole. The President is elected by a secret-ballot election of the membership for a two-year term, along with the other officers and trustees.

The President is fundamentally responsible for guiding the political and administrative direction of the union, in conjunction with the Executive Board. The Local 1 President traditionally is a trustee of the AFM and of the Employer's Pension Fund. In addition, the President represents Local 1 at official functions such as state and city AFL-CIO conferences, and chairs all Executive Board, membership and bylaw meetings. As chair of the Executive Board, s/he votes only to break a tie. The salary and fringe benefits the President receives are set in the local's Constitution and bylaws.

Finally, the office of the President is open to all union members. The President meets on a daily basis with Local 1 members and staff to discuss matters of their concern and interest. Members may call the President's office for an appointment.

Supervisory and administrative duties of the President include:

Local 1's President is Paul R. Frankenfeld. You can reach him at (513) 241-0900, at the Local's office, or via email: president@afm1.org

Ballet & Theater Department

The Theatre Department of Local 1, along with the Contract Administration Department, is responsible for the union's collective bargaining agreements with area theatrical producers. The department operates under the direction of Local 1 President Paul Frankenfeld .

Broadway Touring Shows
The union's agreements cover all musicals and revues which pass through the Cincinnati area. If you get called to work on a nonunion tour or if you are not sure of the tour's union status, call Local 1 immediately. All inquiries are confidential.

Theatre
Theatrical productions in the Aronoff Center for the Arts theatres - the Jarson-Kaplan, the BlackBox, and the Procter & Gamble Hall theatres - are covered by individual production agreements, as are productions at the Robert S. Marx and Thompson Shelterhouse theaters at the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park.

Other Theatre Productions
Individual production agreements are negotiated for all other theatre productions. Local 1 has been successful in achieving these agreements with the help and cooperation of musicians. The earlier the union learns about plans for another production, the more likely it is that a decent agreement can be negotiated. If you get called to work in an uncontracted production, you should contact Local 1 immediately.

Cincinnati Ballet
The Cincinnati Ballet Orchestra has its own contract with Cincinnati Ballet. The agreement covers ballet productions in Procter & Gamble Hall at the Aronoff Center and other venues.

Workshops and Readings
Collective bargaining agreements covering workshops and readings are negotiated on a production-by-production basis. Local 1 has a standard contract form that applies to this work. If you get called to do a workshop or reading, you should contact Local 1 immediately.

Contract Administration & Field Departments

The function of this department is primarily negotiating, internal organizing and contract enforcement in the above areas of the industry. People in this department handle contract negotiations, grievances (disputes) arising from contract violations and other workplace issues. Typical grievances include failure to pay wages, wage shortages, failure by an employer to make timely health and pension benefit payments, health and safety issues, and many others.

The department represents musicians who work under more than 50 collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) in the following areas of the music industry: single engagement club dates and other single engagements; theaters; hotels; restaurants; night clubs and cabarets. The department also assists members in obtaining benefit contributions from nontraditional employers through the use of Music Services contracts.

Single Engagement Club Dates
Club dates are single engagements for weddings, bar/bat mitzvahs, corporate or "society" dinner-dances, benefit and awards dinners and other one-time engagements. Thousands of contracts employing hundreds of Local 1 members are filed in this field each year. Single engagement club dates account for most of the department's work. Grievances for wage, expense and benefit shortages are filed with employers in accordance with the agreements.

Local 1 representatives are responsible for working closely with musicians in this field to insure compliance with the agreement. They make routine random visits to dozens of venues in the Greater Cincinnati area. All calls to Local 1 Representatives to report engagements or grievances are held in the strictest confidence.

Accent Music Musicians' Referral Service
Accent Music is headed by Lynne Scott and is an important benefit of membership. The goal of our booking agency is to help increase job opportunities for members and to promote Local 1 in the community.

Although most referrals are for single engagements such as weddings and other private parties, the service has successfully placed musicians in recording sessions, cruise ship jobs, and tours.

Accent Music maintains a data base of musicians and sound files. All interested members are invited to sign up. The policy of the service is that all musicians obtaining jobs through a referral must be members in good standing and must file union contracts paying appropriate scale wages, health and pension benefits, and all premiums.

Membership Department

The Local 1 Membership Department is responsible for processing and maintaining records relating to membership in the union. Included in these responsibilities are:


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