[Dixielandjazz] Union or Not.

[Steve Barbone]

Unionization, banding together, etc., swings like a pendulum throughout
history. When the workers get really screwed, the form unions to get a
better bargaining position and better treatment.

Then it evolves to them screwing management and their members and so they
are weakened by members fighting amongst themselves and management fighting
them in the courts.

Fifty years ago there was virtually no "non-union" musical work to be had in
places like NYC. The unions controlled the performances venues from the
smallest bar to the largest concert hall.

If the venue messed with non-union musicians, picket lines were formed, the
bar tenders and waiters union refused to work, and if a hotel, the cleaning
people refused to cross the picket lines, etc., etc.., etc. The venue owner
could be put out of business by the union.

Since that time, "right to work" laws were passed making mandatory union
membership (the union shop) illegal. New picketing laws were passed making
secondary picket lines illegal, etc., etc., etc.

So today, ALL of the hotels in a place like Atlantic City, (major employers
of local musicians) DO NOT HIRE MUSICIANS VIA THE UNION. They ignore the
musicians union and hire on their own through agents.

Same for most venues. Major acts are different. Concert halls in major
cities are different. Broadway show bands are different in that they are
still unionized. 

So even "union" musician work as "non-union" musicians in most venues
because the venues don't pay any attention to the union any more.

IMO, Dave Hanson's point is well taken. The union is YOU. If you want
collective bargaining then YOU have to get together with the rest of the
musicians and do it. Maybe not a bad idea these days with all the free music
going around and the resultant low pay scales of the times.

Cheers,
Steve