Tucson Federation of Musicians

There are several online resources available to union musicians who wish to find a broader audience and market for their musical expertise.

You should already be utilizing Local 33’s Referral Service. If you haven’t taken the few short minutes required to set up your listing, DO IT NOW! (Make sure you select your location as “Tucson” so that your listing shows up on the Local 33 page.) You could also be finding new students through GoPro Lessons or selling your music at GoPro Tunes (which allows you to price your own music and receive 100% of sales revenues, minus credit card processing fees).

Launched this fall, the new website AFM Entertainment is a booking and referral service that seeks to promote the talents of AFM musicians with a strong, polished online presentation. It goes beyond the current GoPro referral system by handling all communications with potential purchasers. Every gig will be a union gig; net wages will be at or above the local union’s wage scales, with the proper work dues and contracts filed. A commission will also be charged in accordance with the AFM Booking Agent Agreement.

Listings for quality ensembles and bands are now being accepted. You will need professional photos, quality audio samples, a quality video recording, and a well-written bio.

Please contact Local 33 if you have any questions about utilizing these online resources.

[Excerpted from a statement by Bruce Ridge, ICSOM Chairman]

Dear friends and colleagues,

SPREAD THE WORD:

As we all know, the musicians of the Louisville Orchestra have been engaged in a lengthy negotiation with their management. They have repeatedly been threatened by their board with being replaced by other musicians. And now, after a final ultimatum, the Louisville Orchestra, Inc. has begun recruiting replacement musicians.

DO NOT ACCEPT WORK FROM THE LOUISVILLE ORCHESTRA, INC.

Both the Louisville Orchestra, Inc. and the Kentucky Opera have been placed on the American Federation of Musicians’ (AFM) International Unfair List, and accepting work from these two groups could generate fines and penalties. But it is not just the Unfair List that should deter anyone from accepting this work; the fact is that it would simply be wrong to do so. Any musician accepting such work would not be serving the cause of art in America, or serving their career and family. Musicians accepting work as replacements would be taking food out of the mouths of fellow musicians, as well as depriving them and their children of health insurance…

If the egregious and despicable actions of Louisville Orchestra CEO Rob Birman, and Board Chair Chuck Maisch were to succeed, then no orchestra in North America would be safe from such attacks. Any musician accepting such work would be building a career on quick sand… The symphonic musicians of North America perform as a united network of friends. It is crucial that we stand together on this issue, not only for the musicians of Louisville, but for the future of musicians everywhere.

You can read Bruce Ridge’s full statement HERE.

Why should I file a contract with the union?
A union contract is a legally binding document that protects you in the event something unexpected happens. If your client doesn’t pay you, if they cancel the gig, or if the check bounces, the union will go to bat for you – first by communicating with the client, and then by acting through available legal channels if necessary. For smaller contracts, a client may be thinking you won’t bother with the annoyance and expense of going to small claims court; for bigger contracts, a client might think you don’t have the resources to file a suit. Either way, the union is there to help, and filing a contract is the best way to ensure that you are protected.

What contract form should I file?
Use the L-2 Local Engagement Contract for gigs inside Local 33’s jurisdiction. Use the T-2 Traveling Engagement Contract for jobs outside Local 33’s jurisdiction. These are simple documents that can be easily filled out and tailored to the specific conditions of your gig.

Where can I find AFM contracts?
L-2 and T-2 Contracts may be downloaded from the Members Page at local33afm.org. Hard copies may be obtained from the Local as well.

When should I file the contract?
As soon as you and your client have signed the contract, preferably prior to the engagement. It also permissible to file the contract shortly after the gig is performed.

After I submit a contract, how are work dues collected and submitted to the Local?
Work Dues are calculated as 2% of union scale (see Local 33’s Minimum Wage Scales on the Members Page at local33afm.org) and should be withheld from the musician’s paycheck and submitted to the Local by the leader contractor, or employer. If this procedure doesn’t happen, it is your responsibility to report and pay your own personal work dues for the gig.

When should I submit work dues for a gig I play?
Work dues are due by the 15th of the month following the month in which the gig was performed.

Why We Belong

What do you tell your colleagues when they ask, “Why should I join the union?” Members of Local 72-147 of Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas have written some excellent testimonials in response to this exact question. The Freelance Musicians’ Association gives some good reasons as well. We all have our own individual reasons for being union members, but here are just a few great benefits:

•  Contracts & Collective Bargaining
•  Discounted Instrument & Commercial Liability Insurance
•  Referral Service & other online resources
•  International Musician subscription, including audition ads

Help spread the word!

Musicians Make Outstanding First Impression at Tucson Labor Day Celebration
By Johanna Lundy

The Pima Area Labor Federation (PALF) Labor Day Celebration, which took place in Reid Park on September 5, was a great success. This was Local 33’s first year participating in the event, which included free food, drinks and games to all who attended. The celebration was a big draw for families since it provided free entertainment for kids, and the turnout was excellent. We were amazingly lucky that the weather was overcast, as temperatures had been at least 100° the days before.

The festival was a fun and informative event that allowed members of Local 33 to meet many other members of Tucson AFL-CIO affiliated unions and encouraged members of the community to learn about us. Many people who stopped by our table said, “I didn’t know there was a musicians’ union,” so this was a great first step in gaining exposure in the wider Tucson community. We were also able to make contacts with other unions and union supporters.

The main event at the Local 33 booth was our instrument petting zoo. For four hours, we had a constant stream of kids of all ages who each got a quick lesson on various musical instruments. Many parents were interested in finding out more information about private lessons and teachers for their children.

At the front of our booth, we had many people stop by to talk to us and learn more about what we do. Several people asked about joining the local. We were able to hand out flyers with information on all sorts of concerts, including the TSO “Just for Kids!” series, which was great to share since it is free and directed towards families.

After the event, Laura Hogan, Field Director of PALF and organizer of the event sent us a message saying, “The Musicians’ booth was one of the most popular at the Labor Day celebration.  The children were so excited to actually get to play the instruments.  What a great idea!”  Because the interest was so great, we are planning to expand next year to a second table of instruments.

Special thanks to all our Local 33 volunteers: Rebecca McKee, Anna Gendler, Byron Yount, Jeff Holsen, Jessica Campbell, Emma Votapek, Ben Nisbet, and to Sara Fraker, who did so much behind the scenes to coordinate a successful event.  We also are very grateful to John Snavely and Cassandra Bendickson, who loaned us additional instruments for the day.

I hope that you will consider volun-teering your time for the next event that Local 33 participates in.  We are hoping to have another instrument petting zoo in the late spring, so we could use more instruments as well as “teachers.”  It was tremendous to see so many people interested in music.  This was a simple but effective way for us to give back to the community.  This event served as a reminder of what a unique gift we all have, which we might sometimes take for granted. The simple act of playing an instrument can be a special treat to experience.

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Check out another photo featuring the Local 33 Instrument Petting Zoo at The Arizona Daily Star’s coverage of the picnic HERE.