Tag Archives: maria warner-dowrich

Electronic Media Services, International Musician

Announcing the New Term of the Local Limited Pressing Agreement

by Maria Warner-Dowrich, Contract Administrator AFM Electronic Media Services Division

Local officers have been notified of a pension contribution increase, as well as the effective dates of the current Limited Pressing Agreement (LPA). Its term—February 1, 2017 through January 31, 2020—runs concurrently with the Sound Recording Labor Agreement (SRLA). The pension fund contribution rate of 12.81% of original wages became effective July 3, 2017. 

Note: edited versions of the LPA will not be accepted. This agreement is for non-symphonic recordings only.

Copies of the LPA kit, along with a detailed letter outlining each document and its usage were emailed to all local officers.

The Electronic Media Services Division (EMSD), under the direction of Pat Varriale, and consistent with AFM International Executive Board mandate, correlated the necessary documents and created the LPA kit, which comprises the following documents:

Limited Pressing Agreement (LPA)

Guidelines for establishing an LPA

Addendum A to be filled in by the local utilizing the agreement. When properly completed, it may be used as a master. It must always be utilized in combination with an LPA in signing a company to the agreement.

Addendum B sets forth the provisions for recordings not eligible for Tony Awards.

Prior to the engagement, the original LPA must be signed by an authorized representative of the company and a local officer.

If you haven’t already done so, please forward an updated copy of your local’s current effective LPA to the AFM office. The B-9 report is the proper form to be utilized and filed with the Federation. It can be found in the Members section of the AFM.org website in the Document Library.

If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact the EMSD office at (212) 869-1330 X234 or X233 or email: pvarriale@afm.org. or mwarner-dowrich@afm.org.

For Canadian members, there is an LPA with some variations. Please contact AFM Canada Electronic Media Supervisor Daniel Calabrese at (416) 391-5161 X224 for details.

For Symphonic Limited Pressings, please contact AFM Director of Symphonic Electronic Media Deborah Newmark at email: dnewmark@afm.org or (212) 869-1330 x225.

commercial announcements agreement
Electronic Media Services, International Musician

Additional Extension to the Commercial Announcements Agreement

by Maria Warner-Dowrich, Contract Administrator AFM Electronic Media Services Division

Effective June 1, an agreement for an additional extension to the Commercial Announcements Agreement was reached between the AFM and the ANA-4A’s Joint Policy Committee on Broadcast Talent Union Relations (JPC). This 18-month extension is in addition to the June 5, 2014 through June 4, 2017 agreement, previously extended to June 4, 2018. The agreement is now extended through December 4, 2019.

Under the terms of this new extension, base wages have been increased by  2% for services provided on or after the effective date. The pension fund contribution of 16.5%, and the health and welfare contribution of 6% on scale wages, plus $26 on session only services, remain the same as on the agreement that expired June 4, 2018. Following is a concise outline of the new basic session wages:

National Commercials

Session Fees (one-hour minimum) are as follows:

Side musician with no doubles—$132.35 (up to three, one-minute spots)

Leader, arranger, contractor, orchestrator—$264.70

Music preparation rates increased by 2%

Copyists receive either the side musician’s rate or page rates, whichever is higher.

Arrangers and orchestrators receive
the leader’s rate or page rates, whichever is higher

Sideline musician, eight-hour minimum—$223.69

Sideline musician performing alone, eight-hour work day—$260.10

Leader and orchestra manager—$447.38

Pension fund contribution—16.5% of scale wages

Health and welfare—$26, plus 6% of scale wages

For session only—an additional $26 for each of the first two lines, per performer, per report

Doubling: first double—30% extra of base scale, each additional double—15% of base scale

Reuse/Initial Use Fees

The initial use fees below cover the first 13-week cycle for all national television and radio spots claimed at original session.

Side musician, sideline musician, copyist—$37.50

Leader, contractor, arranger, orchestrator—$75

Reuse Fees

$99.26 per side musician, sideline musician, copyist for each subsequent 13-week cycle, per spot

Leader, contractor, arranger, orchestrator—$198.52

Ballots for the additional extension to the agreement were mailed out along with careful voting instructions for the election process, which was conducted under the strict guidance of the American Arbitration Association. The count was observed by AFM EMSD Administrative Assistant Alyson Sheehan and me.

Upon ratification, the 2% increase became effective June 5.

We have updated the current wage charts, which include foreign use, Internet, nonbroadcast, and all media payments to reflect the 2% increase to the base wages.

For a copy of all Commercial Announcements Agreement documents, log onto the AFM website (www.afm.org) and go to the Document Library, select EMSD, then Electronic Media Guidelines & Summaries, then select the desired document. Alternatively, contact me via email at
mwarner-dowrich@afm.org or call (917) 229-0233.