British authorities have launched one of the biggest-ever enforcement operations of its kind in a concerted effort to combat online piracy and the prevalence of counterfeit goods being sold on social media. While some investigations are ongoing, 4,300 Facebook listings and 20 Facebook profiles have been removed as a result of the eCrime team’s efforts, and more than 200 warning and cease and desist letters have been issued.
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APWU Speaks Out Against Office Supply Merger
American Postal Workers Union (APWU) is asking federal anti-trust regulators to stop the proposed merger of Office Depot and Staples. If the deal went through, there would be just one major office supply retail chain in the country. There were three before OfficeMax and Office Depot merged in 2013. APWU also opposes the Postal Service’s outsourcing of services at Staples. The nonunion office supply chain pays most of its employees close to minimum wage.
The NEA Needs Your Support Now
The House is currently considering legislation that funds the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and other cultural agencies. Representative Louise Slaughter (D-NY), who is the Congressional Arts Caucus co-chair, is urging musicians to remind their members of Congress about the importance of arts and arts funding. Efforts to increase NEA funding from $146 million to $2 million, as requested by President Obama, have so far failed. We are currently hoping to maintain level funding for the NEA, and to reject any attempt to reduce it. Share this Top 10 Reasons to Support the Arts and to get your message of support across visit: https://www.votervoice.net/ARTSUSA/Campaigns/41478/Respond.
Composer James Horner Dies in Plane Crash
Local 47 (Los Angeles, CA) member James Horner, the composer of countless breathtaking scores, from Titanic and Braveheart, Field of Dreams and Avatar, to Jumanji and An American Tail, and so many others, passed away on Monday, June 22 in a plane crash near Santa Barbara, California. The two-time Academy Award winner was just 61. Horner’s dossier as a film composer is as extraordinary, and he will not be forgotten by those who worked closely with him, or by the innumerable people he touched with his music. Horner will inexorably live on in his music and the classic films that he was invaluable to. With three new scores to be released this year, the world has thankfully not yet seen the last of James Horner. In the Shakespearean fashion, Horner will of course live on through his truly exceptional art; undoubtably, “[his] heart will go on.”
Apple Makes Swift Change in Plan
Last week, indie labels and artists put pressure on Apple to compensate artists during the three-month trial period for its new streaming service. Musicians feared, in particular, that they would miss out on opportunities to get financial return from new music launched during Apple Music’s free introductory period, beginning June 30.
This weekend, Local 257 (Nashville, TN) member Taylor Swift posted an open letter on her Tumblr page saying she would withhold her latest album, 1989, from the service because of this situation. The letter read, in part: “I find it to be shocking, disappointing, and completely unlike this historically progressive and generous company … This is not about me. Thankfully, I am on my fifth album and can support myself, my band, crew, and entire management team, by playing live shows. This is about the new artist or band that has just released their first single and will not be paid for its success. This is about the young songwriter who just got his or her first cut and thought that the royalties from that would get them out of debt … We know how astronomically successful Apple has been and we know that this incredible company has the money to pay artists, writers, and producers for the three-month trial period.”
According to Billboard, Apple Senior Vice President Eddy Cue reached out to Swift, letting her know he had heard her concerns, as well as the concerns of indie musicians across the country. Apple also announced that it will now be paying royalties to artists and record labels during the introductory first three months.
Corporations Respond to Young
Neil Young’s newest album The Monsanto Years takes direct aim at corporations like Monsanto, Starbucks, Walmart, and Chevron. In the interest of presenting both sides of the story, Billboard asked the companies to comment on the Local 47 (Los Angeles, CA) on the lyrics to musician’s song “A Rock Star Bucks a Coffee Shop.” Read the hilarious results and watch the video for the song.
Revenue Drops as Music Accessibility Goes Up
The National Publishers Association announced that last year the US music publishing industry experienced a 2.5% drop in revenue from 2013 ($2.206 billion) to 2014 ($2.142 billion). At the organization’s annual meeting President David Israelite discussed ways to improve the bottom line, among them: redefining the economics of the streaming model to acquire a bigger piece of the pie from satellite radio stations and music streaming services and converting more free streaming subscribers into paid subscribers. He also expressed hope for Apple’s streaming service in improving music publishing revenue.
Indie Labels Not Pleased with Apple Streaming Agreement
Though all three major US labels have signed with Apple new streaming service in advance of its June 30 launch, many indie labels are not pleased with the deal and have yet to sign on. They are most upset about Apple Music’s three-month free trial period in which rights holders will not be compensated for their streamed tunes. The trade group American Association of Independent Music has cautioned its indie label members to take their time in weighing various factors before signing the agreement.
One of the largest indie labels, Beggars Group wrote: “We are naturally very concerned, especially for artists releasing new albums in the next three months, that all streaming on the new service will be unremunerated until the end of September. Whilst we understand the logic of their proposal and their aim to introduce a subscription-only service, we struggle to see why rights owners and artists should bear this aspect of Apple’s customer acquisition costs.”
Are Native American Casinos Exempt from Labor Laws?
The courts seem to be split when it comes to whether workers at casinos owned by Native American tribes are protected by federal labor laws. On June 4 the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) dismissed a complaint against WinStar World Casino in Thackerville, Oklahoma, alleging that management threatened blackjack dealers who were trying to organize. A few days later, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appleals ruled that the NLRB does have jurisdiction to rule on a complaint against Manistee, Michigan, casino after the tribe outlawed strikes by workers.
Nile Rodgers to Be Honored at BMI Awards
Billboard announced that Local 802 (New York City) member Nile Rodgers will be presented with the BMI Icon Award at this year’s BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards held in August. The award recognizes an artist’s ability to connect people through song and defy musical expectations. The Grammy-winning co-founder of the band Chic has penned hits like “Good Times” and “Le Freak,” and collaborated with many musicians throughout the years. At last year’s BMI London awards he took the BMI Song of the Year award for Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky.”