[Dixielandjazz] Pay Scales

Sun Apr 8 18:03:53 PDT 2007

Bill said --(who ignore the value in bonding together)

Absolutely - at one time there was great power in this concept.  Actually 
there still is but it takes a large number of people to generate it.  Those 
people are not generally musicians but rather all union members.

When I was little there was a projectionist strike at the movies.  This was 
a rather big strike with some violence and it was very bitter.  I asked if I 
could go to the show and my mom gave me a dime.  When I got home my dad was 
livid that I crossed a picket line.  Hell I didn't even know what a picket 
line was.  The upstart was even though my dad never belonged to a strong 
union he supported others who belonged.

Maybe that's why I am still a union member.  I donate signs each year to the 
Bakers union here and try to support them even though I only eat their 
products and hell would freeze over before I crossed a picket line.

That support among the population just isn't there anymore.  It isn't there 
among union members either.  As far as I know a non union band can play in 
any union hall here.  For about 15 years I was not in the union and the band 
played every one except the electricians hall.  Today they allow in non 
union DJ's.  I would bet that the rest of the hired help at the halls are 
also not union and my suspicion is that the caterers are not even using 
Americans much less union members.  Their attitude is that private party's 
rent the halls and they can't dictate or interfere with a private party.  I 
have been told that flat out. There may be other reasons besides the bucks 
for this but there is absolutely no support for Union musicians even among 
the unions.

I think that it's been about 15 or 20 years since anyone even asked me if 
the band was union or not.  We walk in to a venue and the other hired help 
don't ask and don't tell.  I know that some of the places are unionized.  No 
one makes a stink because maybe the client won't come back next year.  The 
major venues have union sound people and porters and the only thing they are 
interested in is if they transport your gear or you touch a mike.

You can line up union members till hell freezes over but until the unions 
themselves start caring and the general population gives a rat's a** nothing 
will happen.

I was really proud to be a union musician when I was young and so was a lot 
of other people.  It had status but that's not what it conveys today.

One of the strong points of the musicians union was that it protected the 
musician from leaders who didn't pay or paid months late and a lot of other 
BS that happens.  They did help with things like breaks, doubling fees and 
cartage.  The other thing they did for all musicians is shorten the length 
of the gig from 4 hours to three.  Years ago all dances and most other gigs 
were four hours before overtime.  Today, generally, it's three.  I notice 
that a break after the first hour and each hour after that is eroding and 
unless you speak up you don't get cartage if you have to move equipment like 
a piano and amp.

The unions could get rid of split gigs where you play an hour and take an 
hour or two hour break then play for two hours.  That's happening more and 
more at weddings but some corporate events do it too.  Everyone looks the 
other way.
Larry
St. Louis
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bill Haesler" <bhaesler at bigpond.net.au>
To: "Larry Walton" <larrys.bands at charter.net>
Cc: "DJML" <Dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Sunday, April 08, 2007 6:15 PM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Pay Scales

> [snip]
>
>> As a long time Union member I know what has been going on for a number of 
>> years. I do want to remind you that the Union is YOU, not the building or 
>> the people that work there.  If you don't come to meetings, get rid of 
>> sorry officers, come up with effective by-laws and generally get 
>> involved, then you get what has happened to the AFM.
>
> Well said Dave Hanson.
> I have been a member of the Union for 45 years and have my 40-year 
> Honorary Life Membership Certificate to prove it.
> Unhappily, like everywhere else the Musicians Union in Australia (like 
> unions generally) is in decline.
> Dying out with old fossils like me and shunned by underpaid youngsters 
> (who ignore the value in bonding together) putting up with much lower fees 
> than were fought for and negotiated on their behalf in the 
> 'good-old-days'.
> You reap what you sow.
> There, that feels better!
> Back to the research and discography.
> Kind regards,
> Bill
>
>
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