[Dixielandjazz] Re: fees and unions

[Bill Haesler]

Dear Richard,
No Musicians' Union in Australia!
Of course there is!
With a very long and glorious history too.
Ask your clarinet player, Peter Strohkorb.
I have been a member since the 1960s and am hanging out for my life membership
(40 years).
I must confess though that I have only had one radio commercial call and no gigs
(via the union) for the $1000s I have paid them over the years. 
However, I always use the fee 'scale' (hard won by the union in the good old
days) as a minimum for the band.
We too do not do freebies any more.
I have also had (years ago) my band gigs listed in the Union Newsletter.
It is a pretty ineffective organisation nowadays, and I would guess that half,
at least, of Australian jazz, rock and pop musos do not belong. It has always
been very good for the classical/theatre/club musicians.
Gone are the days when non-unionists were ordered off the stand by a union
'organiser'.
Kind regards,
Bill.