Thank you for visiting gordonstump.com and for your fantastic support in the 2009 Local 5 election. After 30+ years as a first call lead trumpet player in the Detroit recording studios and theater pits I put my career aside to serve the members of the Detroit Federation of Musicians as their president. After six months on the job I stopped taking calls for national Broadway shows and studio work. Even though I had earned these jobs I did not want younger musicians to join the union and see that the president somehow had many good trumpet gigs.
I am not reluctant to state that the AFM worked for me; Residuals, reuse, special payments, decent scales and most everything went to the pension plan.
What I saw happening in the 90s was the erosion of local theater work, disappearing local minimums, lack of pension participation, non-union freelance work and most troubling, a hemorrhaging of membership numbers. As a lead trumpet player you figure the entire world (including the conductor) follows you. With this same determination and focus (and naivety) I have dedicated myself to helping other musicians. I would like to see a strong AFM around for our grandchildren. Not everything We have tried at Local 5 has worked but I must tell you that the vast majority of the initiatives have been very successful.
Acting as the lead negotiator along with a rank and file players committee, I was successful in reestablishing minimums in our theater pits. This has resulted in over ONE MILLION DOLLARS in additional local employment since 1999..
Shortly after being elected as president I negotiated a Master Community Orchestra Agreement that continues to serve as a model throughout the AFM.
Several years ago, at the request of the Executive board, I developed a nonprofit corporation called the Detroit Musicians Fund. Thanks to the generosity of the members and their loved ones, the fund has over $261,000 in assets. DMF provides scholarships to music students and financial gifts to members who are unable to work due to disabilities.
Local 5 has developed technology platforms that work for the members and ease up staffing. I personally develop the software and write the code for many of our technology systems. With my development of Detroit Musicians Entertainment, DME, union contracted freelance work has increased.
I know that none of these accomplishments could have been done alone. My administration has been extremely fortunate to have terrific rank and file committee work and great support from the members. It is this bottom up power that has fueled our success. Without a powerful, active membership a union officer is just another talking head. That is why Local 5 needs your continued vigilance to continue our work for the union.
Please keeping thinking about supporting future candidates in the 2015 election with clear agendas, good core union concepts and a history of supporting all segments of our union. We have worked too hard to go back to the good old boy family and friends network overly influenced by contractors and employers.
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