[Dixielandjazz] Unions

[J McClernan]

Bill,
Yeah, good luck with that.
I am in the same boat. When cleaning out my file cabinets, I discovered a pension statement from 5/27/86. I wrote to the AFM in NYC on 10/23/2011 about retrieving the funds and received this reply:

"Thank you for contacting the Fund. Your request will be referred to the appropriate Fund staff member for handling. A response will be provided to you as soon as administratively practicable dependent on the nature of your request."
Thank You,
AFMEPF

To date, I have not heard a word.

I asked a friend who worked for AFM and his reply was, in part, "...the money contributed on your behalf is probably a "lost contribution".  Under the old rules you needed 10 years of at least $1500 in annual pensionable wages to be vested.  Apparently that didn't happen, and pro forma you were sent a statement back in 1986 accounting for those old contributions..."

As for funeral expenses, I think it was $1000. But since I have not been a member of AFM for more than 15 years, that "life insurance" is no longer in effect.  Mind you, they still send me the Int'nat'l Musician newspaper to this day......duh.
Cheers,
John


On Mar 26, 2013, at 10:02 AM, ♫ Sharp Bill - - B# ♫ wrote:
Unions probably served a purpose at getting musicians decent wages in certain situations, especially in big cities for theatrical productions, and  for symphony work, but they sure liked to take a nice cut from the working stiff doing the small gigs, like playing in a church, or Saturday gigs at one of the dead-animal societies (Elks, Moose, Lions clubs).  

It has recently occurred to me ( and maybe one of you know about this) that part of our dues went towards a retirement fund, and something for funeral expenses.  For people like myself who only belonged for 6-7 years, probably 40-45 years ago, this money probably languishes in a fund somewhere and I might be able to claim a very small pittance of some sort.   
♫Sharp, William