Now is the right time to become an American Federation of Musicians member. From ragtime to rap, from the early phonograph to today's digital recordings, the AFM has been there for its members. And now there are more benefits available to AFM members than ever before, including a multi-million dollar pension fund, excellent contract protection, instrument and travelers insurance, work referral programs and access to licensed booking agents to keep you working.
As an AFM member, you are part of a membership of more than 80,000 musicians. Experience has proven that collective activity on behalf of individuals with similar interests is the most effective way to achieve a goal. The AFM can negotiate agreements and administer contracts, procure valuable benefits and achieve legislative goals. A single musician has no such power.
The AFM has a proud history of managing change rather than being victimized by it. We find strength in adversity, and when the going gets tough, we get creative - all on your behalf.
Like the industry, the AFM is also changing and evolving, and its policies and programs will move in new directions dictated by its members. As a member, you will determine these directions through your interest and involvement. Your membership card will be your key to participation in governing your union, keeping it responsive to your needs and enabling it to serve you better. To become a member now, visit www.afm.org/join.
Last week a bow was auctioned for the record breaking price of $288,960. The silver and ebony mounted violin bow, made by Francois Xavier Tourte, is believed to have once been owned by Polish virtuoso Bronislaw Huberman. It bears the initials “BH” engraved on the ferule. Beares Auctions reported that it was purchased by a professional violinist.
Fastfood workers, represented by Fight for $15, are planning the largest ever, nationwide strike for tomorrow—exactly 12 months before next year’s election. Protests will be staged at restaurants in 270 cities, and then later those workers will gather with other low-wage workers and their supporters at local city halls where they prod voters to select local, state, and national candidates who support the $15 pay floor. All of the top Democratic presidential candidates have said they back a $12 to $15 minimum wage and have made the growing divide between rich and poor a centerpiece of their campaigns. Most Republican candidates oppose raising the current federal minimum of $7.25 an hour. The group Fight for $15 plans to mobilize many of the 64 million Americans who earn less than $15 an hour with neighborhood drives to register and vote.
To find out how you can get involved go to: Fightfor15.org.
Giacchino Awarded Composer of the Year —Congratulations to Composer Michael Giacchino of Local 47 (Los Angeles, CA) who was honored as Composer of the Year at the World Soundtrack Awards in Gent, Belgium. Giacchino was recognized for scores for the films Inside Out, Jurassic World, and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.
Calling All Women Workers: AFL-CIO Launches Nationwide Survey
The AFL-CIO has launched the National Survey of Working Women for both union and nonunion women in all sectors of the workforce from across the country. The survey will cover all aspects of the lives of women in the workforce: economic interests, family and work life, and balancing those responsibilities.
“Working women need to stand together to let employers know what we need on the job. Our survey will reach out to working women from all different walks of life, both inside and outside the labor movement and will provide a much needed look into the daily lives of working women and how they struggle to achieve the ever-elusive work-life balance,” says Diann Woodard, president of the American Federation of School Administrators and vice-chair of the AFL-CIO Women’s Committee.
Launched this week, you may participate in the survey until December 4, 2015 at the website: go.aflcio.org/WomensSurvey. It only takes about 15 minutes to complete. Results of the survey will be published in March 2016 during Women’s History Month.
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Struggles for Fair Deal —Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra (FWSO) musicians continue to negotiate for a fair contract that at least partially restores the 13.5% pay cuts they took to shore up the FWSO’s 2010 loss in revenue. The economy has improved and Fort Worth is experiencing record growth, which makes management’s proposed cuts in FWSO season and musician wages inexplicable. Read about FWSO in this Fort Worth Weekly article [http://www.fwweekly.com/2015/10/28/cutting-in/]. Follow the latest FWSO news and show your support by liking “Musicians of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra” on Facebook.
AFM Members Inducted into West Virginia Music Hall of Fame —AFM members Russ Hicks of Local 257 (Nashville, TN) and Bob Thompson of Local 136 (Charleston, WV) were inducted into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame on October 24 at the Culture Center Theater in Charleston. Hicks is a renowned pedal steel guitar player. He was a member of the Hee Haw house band for 13 years and has recorded with many musicians, including Marty Robbins; Local 257 members Jerry Lee Lewis, the Charlie Daniels Band, Ronnie Milsap, and Larry Gatlin; Don Gibson; and Townes Van Zandt. Jazz pianist Thompson and his band The Bob Thompson Unit have performed for audiences worldwide. However, he may be best known as the house pianist for West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s radio show Mountain Stage. Also inducted was late television and radio artist Buddy Starcher, a former member of Local 257.
Trump Hotel Sues Over “Deceptive” Flyers — The corporation that runs Trump Hotel Las Vegas (namely, Donald Trump and Phil Ruffin) are suing the Culinary Union and Bartenders Union over what they call “deceptively misleading” flyers about Trump’s campaign event held at nearby Treasure Island hotel in Las Vegas. Trump Hotel claims that by stating that Trump stayed at Treasure Island, not his own hotel, the public was led to believe accommodations at the Trump Hotel were not adequate for Trump himself. The lawsuit claims that Trump did stay the night in the Trump Hotel while in town. The Culinary Union and Bartenders Union is currently in a battle to unionize the Trump Hotel’s workers, numbering around 500. The National Labor Relations Board has received more than 10 complaints about the hotel since 2014.
Quebec Public Workers Enact Rotating Strikes — This week Quebec public sector workers—thousands of teachers, health care workers, support staff—began a series of rotating strikes to bring attention to stalled negotiations with the provincial government over public sector agreements that expired in March. The Common Front, uniting Quebec’s largest labor unions and the union of public employees, represents around 400,000 workers. Common Front is seeking a 13.5% salary increase (4.5% per year for three years), while the government has proposed a two-year salary freeze, followed by three years of 1% salary increases.
“We don’t believe the negotiations are moving forward, particularly at the head table, where the government has not budged an inch on its initial offer,” says Confederation of National Trade Unions President Jacques Letourneau in a The Globe and Mail article. “The negotiation process is not broken, we continue to hope the strike days this week will cause the Quebec Treasury Board to move.” Unless progress is made, rotating strikes will continue in November and December.
Workers React to Verizon Profit Report —Verizon workers, about 39,000 members of the Communication Workers of America (CWA) and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), held a rally outside company headquarters in New York City. They continue to bargain with the company after their contract expired in August. Verizon contract proposals have so far been unacceptable, asking workers to pay more for healthcare, on top of less job and retirement security.
On October 20 Verizon reported profits of $4.2 billion for the third quarter of 2015 on revenue of $33.2 billion, on top of $8.6 billion in the first half of the year. “Yet again, Verizon’s quarterly report shows the strength of the company’s bottom line,” says Bob Master, CWA District 1 assistant to the vice president. “But despite another almost $1.5 billion dollars a month in profits, Verizon continues to ignore millions of consumers who want its high-speed network in both cities and rural areas. At the same time, the company turns its back on its workers, demanding the right to ship even more family-supporting jobs overseas. Verizon should stop stalling and negotiate a fair contract.”
In recent weeks, 13 Northeastern mayors and the Democratic candidate for mayor of Philadelphia sent a letter to Verizon expressing anger at the company’s refusal to build its high-speed FiOS network at all in some cities and failure to meet contractual and legal requirements to complete universal build-outs. The Mayors also expressed concern about Verizon’s treatment of its workforce in ongoing contract negotiations. Across the East Coast, Verizon has systematically refused to invest in its infrastructure.
UAW Autoworkers Vote in Favor of New Labor Deal — Following 2-to-1 rejection of a September labor deal, the United Auto Workers at Fiat Chrysler voted overwhelmingly in favor of a new deal, ending the threat of the nation’s largest strike since 2011. The new deal, approved by 77% of the 44,000 members, narrows the wage gap between veteran autoworkers and the approximately 19, 800 “tier-two” workers hired since 2007. Under the current contract, tier-two workers earn $17 to $24 an hour, while veteran autoworkers earn $28-plus an hour, as well as pension and retiree health benefits. The new deal brings the newer workers up to at least $28 an hour after seven years with the company and veteran workers will get their first raise in 10 years, a 3% immediately and another 3% in two years. They’ll also get a bonuses and profit sharing payments, including a signing bonus of $4,000 (veteran workers) and $3,000 (tier-two) for ratifying the contract.
