[Dixielandjazz] RE: fees and unions

[jazzfact]

Dear Bill,

I stand corrected and chastened; your loyal service has made me wish for
a union here in Queensland. There probably is one but we have learned to
fend for ourselves. Just by the way, what are the rates at the moment?

regards,
Richard Stevens
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~jazzfact/

-----Original Message-----
From: Bill Haesler [mailto:bhaesler at nsw.bigpond.net.au] 
Sent: Friday, 14 March 2003 9:44 AM
To: jazzfact
Cc: dixieland jazz mail list
Subject: Re: fees and unions

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.

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