According to Reuters, the House of Representatives has effectively blocked Fast Track. The legislation had created unusual coalitions with President Obama and House Republican leaders are allied in supporting it, while most Democrats and some Republicans oppose it. Labor organizations oppose Fast Track, they fear will result in American job losses by giving Congress less oversight when it comes to trade deals. Congress would lose the ability to make changes to a trade deal, and would only allow it to hold a yes-or-no vote on one. Though the legislation is dead for now, the House may still hold a Fast Track vote in order to allow members to share their views. In the weeks leading up to the vote the AFL-CIO has asked workers to contact their representatives to speak out against Fast Track.
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Attorneys General Investigate Apple Music
According to Billboard, the attorneys general of both New York and Connecticut are looking at Apple’s new streaming service to determine if Apple pressured or conspired with record labels to withdraw support from other streaming services. The European Commission is also investigating Apple’s dealings with record labels. At issue is the lack of an advertising-based freemium model as offered by Spotify and other companies. Apple is offering a three-month free trial period instead.
Universal Music Group’s legal firm responded that it has no agreements with Apple or other labels that might impede the availability of free or ad-supported services and that it is committed to a robust and competitive market for music streaming services.
Though the attorneys general investigation is currently in “suspended” status, there could be further action in the future.
Live Nation Among Employers Who Misclassify Workers
A new study from the Economic Policy Institute shows that more than 10 million American workers are misclassified as independent contractors, when they are really employees. The study points to Live Nation and FedEx as businesses that routinely abuse the system, to save money on taxes, employment insurance, overtime pay, minimum wage, and workmen’s compensation.
For example, the concert producer uses subcontractor Crew One to staff its shows in Atlanta. Crew One treats the workers it employs for Live Nation as independent contractors, providing no safety training, work shoes, hard hats, and saving the expense of payroll taxes. Crew One stagehands have voted (2 to 1) to form a union, but the company is challenging the election results on the grounds that the workers are independent contractors.
FedEx is currently fighting a legal battle over worker misclassification in 27 states. Drivers are treated as independent contractors, but they must provide their own trucks painted to FedEx specifications and purchase FedEx specified uniforms, scanners, and other equipment. They also work according to FedEx hours and procedures. As independent contractors, FedEx drivers take on immense financial liability.
A tax loophole called the “Safe Harbor Rule” protects employers, allowing misclassification for tax purposes, even if it is demonstrated that they really are employees. President Obama proposed closing this loophole in his 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 budget proposals. The US Treasury estimates that doing so would generate $9 billion in tax revenue over 10 years.
To read the entire EPI report visit www.epi.org/publication/independent-contractor-misclassification/.
Copyright Protection Portal Protects British Artists
The British Phonographic Industry (BPI), a trade body for more than 300 UK music labels, has launched a Copyright Protection Portal that lets rights holders and artists track and report illegal copies of their music. Users upload their songs into BPI’s bespoke crawlers, which provides analysis on tunes that are being pirated and where, as well as information about infringing links that have already been removed. BPI partnered with the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) to create the bespoke program. BPI claims to have removed nearly 145 million illegal links to music from Google and carried out 465 physical investigations, resulting in seizures of more than 13 million tracks in 2014.
Why We Need to Raise Minimum Wage
The standard for measuring housing affordability used to be that your mortgage or rent should be about 30% of your income, leaving the rest to cover food, utilities, transportation, medical care, and other expenses. A new report from the National Low-Income Housing Coalition shows that in 2015, working 40 hours at minimum wage isn’t even enough to cover the rent of a one-bedroom apartment in any state. In only 13 states and Puerto Rico, can you afford that apartment on less than 60 hours a week, with the lowest number of hours being in Puerto Rico (48) and South Dakota (49). At the other end of the spectrum, you’d need to work at least 100 hours in Washington, DC, Maryland, or New Jersey to afford a one-bedroom apartment on the minimum wage.
The full report, titled Out of Reach, is available on the National Low Income Housing Coalition website: nlihc.org. Thanks to www.aflcio.org there is an easy to read map showing where each state stands.
Assistance for Union Plus Storm Victims
Union members who participate in Union Plus programs (credit cards, insurance, mortgages, etc.) and live in areas impacted by the recent severe storms and widespread flooding in Texas and Oklahoma, may be eligible for financial assistance. Disaster Relief Grants of $500 are available to help participants who live in Harris, Hays, and Van Zandt counties in Texas, and Cleveland, Grady, and Oklahoma counties in Oklahoma and are facing financial hardship due to this devastating natural disaster. The money does not have to be repaid.
To qualify for a Union Plus Disaster Relief Grant, a union member must:
- Have been a victim of the severe weather in counties designated by FEMA as qualifying for individual assistance.
- Have experienced a significant loss of income or property within the last six months due to the disaster.
- Have had a Union Plus Credit Card, Union Plus Insurance policy, or Union Plus Mortgage for at least 12 months with the account or policy in good standing (be up-to-date on payments).
- Describe his or her circumstances and document the income or property loss.
To apply for a disaster relief grant, Union Plus participants can call: 1-800-622-2580 (Union Plus Credit Card) or 1-800-472-2005 (Union Plus mortgage or insurance: 1-800-472-2005).
Union Plus Mortgage and Credit Card holders may also be eligible to receive payment extensions or other special help.
Loretta Lynn Inducted in Walk of Fame
photo credit: Ann Richardson
On June 4, longtime Local 257 (Nashville, TN) AFM member Loretta Lynn was inducted in the Music City Walk of Fame. The induction ceremony coincided with a ribbon cutting for the recently renovated Walk of Fame Park in the center of Nashville, near to the Country Music Hall of Fame. The Walk of Fame recognizes persons from all genres of music who have made significant contributions to preserving the musical heritage of Nashville.
Apple to Announce Streaming Service Today
According to AppleInsider Apple’s new streaming music service, Apple Music, will likely be announced at a Worldwide Developer’s Conference today. Based on Beats Music it will ask users for their favorite genres when they sign up, and then would include artist recommendations. As of last week, Apple was reported to still be negotiating fees with record labels, which are reported to be asking for a higher percentage of subscriptions than what they currently receive from Spotify.
National Call-In Day to Stop Fast Track
The AFL-CIO has declared today National Call-In Day to Stop Fast Track. Now that Congress is back from vacation, it’s expected to bring Fast Track to a vote any day now. Many elected officials can still be swayed by reminding them of what the voters want. Do your part to prevent the passage of bad trade deals. Visit the website https://actionnetwork.org/forms/tell-your-representative-vote-no-on-fast-track or call 1-855-712-8441.
Trumka to Presidential Candidates: There’s Nowhere to Hide
In a speech at union headquarters, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka highlighted issues that will be a litmus test for 2016 presidential candidates. He says that they will have to weigh in on items such as minimum wage, fast-track, and sick leave before earning AFL-CIO endorsement.
“It is early, and although many candidates are already in the race, the field remains open, and the labor movement’s doors are open to any candidate who is serious about transforming our economy with high and rising wages,” he says, adding that they will need to choose between Wall Street and American workers.
“No candidate will be able to dodge any issue,” he says.