Who's Left?

I sit here today, like many of my friends and colleagues, wondering
why WAC is stalling on mediation.

I'm somewhat reassured, by people who know the folks at the WAC, that the WAC's mediating group isn't organized enough -- or authorized, it seems -- to pull off some kind of negotiation magic without first harping about hurt feelings and ingratitude and, in a mystifying move, leaving the table.

But I think their lawyer, Tom Kilpatrick from Alston & Bird ('complex and class action employment litigation and traditional labor law') -- and who will be negotiating at the table next week -- has an end game here.  He doesn't need the WAC to be organized.  He just needs time.

The longer WAC prolongs mediation and defers resolution, the more players are forced to leave town for subs engagements or take permanent positions elsewhere.  If we are not vocal in our protests --RIGHT NOW -- the WAC will soon have, through attrition, the freelance orchestra it wanted in the first place.

Between last season and this one, the ASO has lost 12 players -- due to retirement, deaths of two good friends, administrative leave, and a few leaving to take up permanent positions in new orchestras (one player left a principal position here to take up an associate principal position elsewhere!). 

These 12 vacant positions 

have not been filled!

Are we going to let the WAC and Tom Kilpatrick 'solve' its problem of 'downsizing' through stalling tactics, while more players are forced to leave?

We have to say 'NO MORE!'

Please read Jon Gunnemann's Open Letter to the ASO Board.  Get the history, get the facts.
Read Mask of the Flower Prince most recent blog post for a thoughtful rebuttal of Virginia Hepner's public statements.
Please read the Message to the ASO Board from ATL Symphony Musicians for the latest update on the mediation progress (or lack of progress, in my opinion)

We must get the word out!

  Please send letters to:

The National Labor Relations Board - Atlanta Office
Information.Officer@nlrb.gov
Website:   http://www.nlrb.gov/region/atlanta

Fulton County Commissioners
John Eaves   chairman@fultoncountyga.gov
Robb Pitts    robb.pitts@FultonCountyGa
Liz Hausmann    liz.hausmann@fultoncountyga.gov
Emma Darnell    emma.darnell@fultoncountyga.gov
Bill Edwards    commissioner.edwards@fultoncountyga.gov
Tom Lowe    tom.lowe@fultoncountyga.gov
Joan Garner   joan.garner@fultoncountyga.gov

Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce

Hala Moddelmog   President & CEO  president@maccoc.com
Brian McGowan   Executive VP & COO   BMcGowan@macoc.com
Bari Love SVP Communications & Marketing   blove@macoc.com
Janice Rys SVP Membership & Development Services   jrys@maccoc.com
Katie Kirkpatrick SVP Policy Innovation and Entrepreneurship    kkirkpatrick@maccom.com

Office of Mayor Kasim Reed
His Honor Kasim Reed  kreed@atlantaga.gov
Anne Torres Director Communication   ATLMedia@atlantaga.gov
Camille Russell Love Executive Director Office of Cultural Affairs   CRLove@atlantaga.gov
Lena Carstens  Program Manager Arts in Education   lcarstens@atlantaga.gov

City of Atlanta Board of Ethics  
website http://www.atlantaga.gov/index.aspx?page=543
email ethicsofficer@atlantaga.gov 

The Board of Ethics has jurisdiction over the Standards of Conduct in the City's Code of Ordinance, which covers the following issues:

• Conflicts of interest
• Gratuities and gifts
• Travel, meals, and refreshments
• Tickets
• Use of city property
• Extra jobs and outside employment
• Doing business with the city
• Use of confidential information
• Representing private interests before city agencies
• Representing private interests in matters adverse to the city
• Solicitations
• Financial disclosure
• One-year cooling off period

Atlanta Public Schools Board of Education
Please write to the Board members, to remind them that there won't be any of
this:   http://www.atlantasymphony.org/EducationAndCommunity/TDP.aspx
or this:  http://www.atlantasymphony.org/EducationAndCommunity/ForEducators.aspx
or this: http://www.atlantasymphony.org/EducationAndCommunity/ASYO.aspx 
or this:  http://www.atlantasymphony.org/EducationAndCommunity/Community.aspx
without their immediate help in urging the WAC to end the lockout.  Please ask Board members to communicate with the Mayor's office ... ask them to please get in touch with APS music faculty, who are not currently able to schedule school trips to hear the orchestra as part of their yearly curriculum. Those seriously affected by the lockout are the children, who are without these vital programs offered by ASO musicians.  There is no indication that WAC cares about these programs, or about the children bereft of them, enough to mediate fairly with the players. The damage WAC is doing to Atlanta Public Schools by its actions cannot be understated.

Courtney English Board Chair  cenglish@atlanta.k12.ga.us
Nancy Meister Vice Board chair  nmeister@atlanta.k12.ga.us
Leslie Grant lgrant@atlantapublicschools.us
Byron D. Amos  bamos@atlanta.k12.ga.us
Matt Westmoreland  mwestmoreland@atlantapublicschools.us
Steven Lee  slee@atlanta.k12.ga.us 
Eshe' P. Collins  epcollins@atlantapublicschools.us
Cynthia Briscoe Brown  cbriscoe_brown@atlanta.k12.ga.us
Jason Esteves jesteves@atlantapublicschools.us

Donors (this list will be developed further and updated).  

'Dear Mr. Anderson:  Guess where all your millions of dollars went ...'
Richard Anderson, CEO Delta Airlines  richard.anderson@delta.com 

Most of all, write and send links to your friends, your colleagues. 

When Tom Kilpatrick and the WAC team sit down to mediate next week, if the city of Atlanta movers and shakers -- and those most affected by the lockout -- were to make themselves heard, they will become partners in spirit with the ASOPA which will be working hard to Save The Symphony Atlanta over the next 4 days. 

End the ASO Lockout!

Write Your Letters Today!