To Arrest Lee's Dictatorship, Vote Out the Rubber Stamp IEB

Tom Lee's vision is to unilaterally and absolutely control the AFM. His chaotic leadership has virtually disenfranchised the Recording Musicians Association (RMA), and will do the same with other player conferences until they are totally wiped out.

Player conferences in principle are the alter ego of the professional musician seeking to educate, enlighten and make recommendations to their collective bargaining representatives to protect the financial needs of the working musician in any given situation. Every collective bargaining negotiation by Tom Lee has resulted in financial inequities for the member musician he is presumably protecting.

Because he has manipulated a stranglehold on Canadian votes, Tom Lee is likely to win in 2010. But if strong, dissenting voices are elected to the IEB, his attempts to command the AFM could be thwarted.

The IEB has thus far voiced no opposition. Here are two AFM members that could shake up the rubber stamp IEB.

Craig Krampf, Secretary of Local 257, Nashville, TN. This was the guy that knocked out Billy Linnemann, who everyone thought could not be defeated. Since he has taken over, Nashville has awakened to the fact that officers work for the rank-and-file members. The Local has become totally transparent and its members overwhelmingly feel that positive action is now moving forward.

Dave Pomeroy, President of Local 257. Dave is a highly gifted leader who would be an excellent candidate for President, but I know he would not accept. He has pledged all his time and efforts to his Local and wants to finish the job he promised to the membership. However, this should not prevent him to run for Vice-President in 2010. I feel he understands the Lee debacle, and that it must be stopped.

These two leaders have proven their courage to fight for what wisdom and experience have taught them. Voices like these on the IEB are exactly what is needed to arrest dictatorship of Tom Lee.