[Dixielandjazz] Union

[Bill Gunter]

Hello listmates,

I know of a band here in the Western U.S. in which all the members were 
members of the local. However they never once got a referral from the union.

The wife of the leader called the Union office (incognito) and asked the 
union officer if he could recommend a band for an upcoming party she was 
planning. She described the sort of presentation her husband's band was 
famous for and indicated that she was looking for just such a band. The 
union officer said "Oh yes - what you want is the "--- jazz band" and he 
named a band led by the president of the local.

When the wife of the band leader heard this she said that she had heard of a 
band called ... (and she named her husband's band) ... and she asked if they 
were any good. The union agent indicated that they were an "alright" band, 
but the one she really wanted was the one he had already mentioned - the 
Union president's band.

When she reported her conversation back to her husband and then to the band 
everyone in the band resigned from the union.

Now I don't mean to imply that all Musician's Union Locals are guilty of 
this sort of thing. But those that are seem to be giving all the rest a 
pretty bad image!

Respectfully submitted,

Bill Gunter
jazzboard at hotmail.com

_________________________________________________________________
MSN 8 helps eliminate e-mail viruses. Get 2 months FREE*.  
http://join.msn.com/?page=features/virus