[Dixielandjazz] A F OF M PENSIONS

[Charles Suhor]

Another  pension experience-- I was exclusively a weekend player, and 
the New Orleans union didn't start its pension program until around the 
60s. I left town in 1977 to live in places where there was no pension 
(and only nominally a union). Even so, when I inquired a few years ago 
I had pension fund money and took a lump sum of $3000. Not a lot but 
better than the proverbial hot stick in the eye.

It's sad that in so many places the union has become impotent. I was a 
member of AFM union for over 50 years and of AFT when I was a classroom 
teacher. When I was starting out, the N.O. union jump-started my 
playing around town, and the Wash., D.C. union gave me leads that led 
to gigs while struggling  in graduate school. The teachers' union 
bargained for less pitiful salaries. Abuses in unions were damaging but 
historically and in my life they were necessary and important. We've 
talked about reasons for their decline in the music world but this is 
an ah-got-duh-blues note and a wish that the needs of workers could be 
advanced again in more effective ways.

Charlie Suhor


On Feb 3, 2005, at 8:24 AM, Steve barbone wrote:

> Tom Wiggins wrote about the local 802 Pension Fund note the Oz Mate 
> Colin
> Toomer (lower OZ a/k/a NZ) received. Here is my experience:
>
> I am an former member of 802, the New York City local. Much to my 
> surprise
> about 3 years ago I found that I had some pension fund money in my 
> account
> from the late 1950s, early 1960s. Happy to report, I received it.
>
> Local 802 has a huge amount of pension and/or other monies withheld 
> from
> musicians during the last 70 years. It behooves anyone who ever worked 
> a
> contract job in NYC to check with them.
>
> Another example. Our trombonist, Glenn Dodson, worked some classical 
> gigs in
> NYC with the New York Philharmonic about 20 years ago as a sub for 
> their
> principal Trombone Player. He forgot that 802 withheld pension and 
> visiting
> muso money from those gigs.
>
> When I checked my status, I also checked his and informed him that he 
> had a
> few bucks in the 802 coffers. He then received his.
>
> As to the rest of that money, I suspect it will, in large measure, go
> unclaimed and Guido will eventually get it. ;-) VBG
>
> Cheers,
> Steve Barbone
>
>
>
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