Once again, there is an opportunity to join together with your Local 1000 sisters and brothers at the Highlander Center in New Market, Tennessee. Tues, May 15- Thurs, May 17, 2012  Featured presenters are Local 1000 members Si Kahn and Holly Near.

Visit the Highlander Page for more information.  There are a limited # of slots open, so register early!

(Like last year, SERFA is scheduled in Montreat, NC for the following weekend.)

Following the passage of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (H.R. 658), we have been receiving many questions about the new policy and complaints that musicians are still experiencing problems at the airport. While the inclusion of a national musical instrument policy in the FAA bill is a major victory for AFM, musicians must be aware that changes will not happen immediately, and we ask for your patience.

The FAA reauthorization was signed into law by the President on February 14, 2012. However, the national instrument policy goes into effect upon issuance of FAA regulations to carry out the law, which must occur no later than February 2014. AFM is working with Congress, the FAA, and the airlines to get these regulations in place as soon as possible, and to encourage airlines that have not already done so to voluntarily adopt H.R. 658 as their policy in the meantime. This means that you may continue to face difficulties at the airport until the new procedures are fully rolled out.

In particular, please remember that flight attendants, gate attendants, and baggage handlers may not yet be aware of the new law. Often, they don’t know the airline’s own policy on musical instruments. In order for the carry-on policy to be effective, it is imperative that it be included in the FAA training manuals distributed to airline employees. As many of you have no doubt experienced, even airlines like United and Delta, which already have favorable musical instrument policies, frequently cause problems for musicians because the airline employees are unaware of the policy and refuse to allow the instrument on board. To address this issue, AFM is working to ensure that training manuals are updated as soon as possible.

Musicians who travel with their instruments are advised to visit the AFM website, where they can find the text of the law, links to major airlines’ current musical instrument policies, and updated travel tips at http://www.afm.org/member/page/id/1705. I recommend that you carry both the airline’s current policy on musical instruments and a copy of the law when you fly.

Best,

Hal

Hal Ponder
Director of Government Relations
American Federation of Musicians

Amanda Gookin, who has done a wonderful job of bringing our billing uptodate has accepted a full-time position teaching cello.  This is great news for her, but we are sad to see her go and wish her all the best.

View the listing on CraigsList:

http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/ofc/2910577398.html

We are looking to have the new person in place by the first week of April, 2012.

FAA Bill sets a consistent national policy allowing musical instruments on airplanes.

After five years and 23 short-term extensions, Congress has passed legislation reauthorizing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for the next four years. Included in the bill are provisions that create a uniform national policy regarding musical instruments on airplanes. Any instrument that can be safely stored in the overhead compartment or underneath the seat may be brought on board as carry-on luggage. Additionally, the bill sets standard weight and size requirements for checked instruments, and permits musicians to purchase a seat for oversized instruments, such as cellos, that are too delicate to be checked. Existing law allowed each airline to set their own policy regarding musical instruments, and size requirements varied widely for both carry-on and checked baggage. The American Federation of Musicians (AFM) has been lobbying Congress to enact such a policy for nearly a decade.

“This is great news for professional musicians throughout the U.S. and Canada who carry the tools of our trade – our instruments – aboard commercial aircraft,” said AFM President Ray Hair. “Ending the confusion over musical instruments as carry-on baggage has been a top legislative priority for nearly a decade. I am proud of our Government Relations Director, Hal Ponder and his assistant Laura Brigandi in our Washington legislative office for seeing the effort through. Musicians can now fly in friendlier skies.”

The FAA reauthorization was passed by the House of Representatives on Friday, February 3 by a 248-169 vote. It subsequently passed the Senate on Monday, February 6, 75-20. The President is expected to sign the bill into law.
(From AFM news release)

Fure’s election left a vacancy in the Vice President position, which she had held for many years. Debra Cowan, Eastern Regional Representative, was appointed to fill the balance of her term (through December 2012.)

Debra’s appointment left a vacancy in the Eastern Regional position, to which former Secretary-Treasurer, John O’Connor has been appointed for the balance of the term (through December 2012.)

This appointment leaves a vacancy in the position of Western Regional Representative which will be filled by Presidential appointment, in accordance with our ByLaws.

Amy Fix, who served served as our Business Rep and Office Manager for the past 12 years will continue to serve Local 1000 in that capacity.