Archive for June, 2009

Fair Standards for NYC Music Clubs

Tuesday, June 16th, 2009

While larger and more financially stable clubs and cabaret spaces offer reasonable compensation to performing musicians, there are a host of smaller venues that do not. The abuse ranges from notorious pay-to-play venues to those that charge for the use of sound equipment or require musicians to guarantee an audience.

What can be done? What are “fair standards” for the treatment of musicians? Give us your feedback as we work to establish a “fair standards code” for these music venues.

Send an email to [email hidden; JavaScript is required] or call 212 245 4802 X185.

Posted in Labor, New York City | Comments Off

Campaign Picks Up Speed

Monday, June 15th, 2009

The Justice for Jazz Artists campaign continues to pick up speed. We now have over 270 petitioners! This number is up from 144 on May 1.

We are currently seeking the endorsements of elected officials and religious leaders, even as we build our petition of jazz artists and musicians who work in other areas—particularly on Broadway and in the concert field.

Here is our list of Coalition Endorsers at Present:

  • American Federation of Musicians, Tom Lee, President; Sam Folio, Secretary Treasurer
  • Local 802, Associated Musicians of Greater New York
  • Local 802 Jazz Advisory Committee
  • Local 802 Theater Committee
  • Jazz Foundation of America
  • Greater New York Labor-Religion Coalition, Rabbi Michael Feinberg, Executive Director
  • New York Central Labor Council
  • Jazz Ministry at St. Peter’s Church, Amandus J. Derr, Senior Pastor
  • New School Jazz Department Faculty Committee
  • Andy Kirk Research Foundation
  • NY City Councilwoman Diana Reyna (D-34, Brooklyn)
  • Rutgers-Newark Master’s Program in Jazz History and Research
  • Dr. Lewis Porter, Jazz Historian and Educator
  • Dan Morgenstern, Jazz Historian and former editor of Down Beat
  • John Chilton, Jazz Historian
  • Maxine Gordon (widow of Dexter Gordon)
  • Gary Giddins, Jazz Journalist
  • Nat Hentoff, Jazz Journalist

Won’t you print up copies of the J4JA Petition and Fact Sheet and convince your fellow musicians to sign on? Then simply mail them in to the address below—or drop by the union’s Jazz Dept—on the 3rd floor.

AFM Local 802
322 West 48th Street
New York, New York 10036

Associated Musicians of Greater New York, AFM Local 802
322 West 48th Street 3rd floor
New York, New York 10036

Posted in Endorsements | Comments Off

How Can I Get a Pension?

Sunday, June 14th, 2009

Are you close to vesting in the AFM-EPF? How much more work would it take in the coming year to achieve permanent status in the pension fund? While savings and 403-B accounts suffer huge losses in this devastated economy, the American Federation of Musicians and Employers’ Pension Fund Todd Weeks .

Posted in Pension | 2 Comments »

MusicFIRST Coalition for Broadcasting Royalties

Sunday, June 14th, 2009

The MusicFIRST Coalition is working hard to help pass legislation intended to provide long overdue royalty payments to recording artists. In December 2007, a bipartisan group of federal lawmakers sponsored legislation to force radio stations to pay record companies and performers for the music they air. Hal Ponder, the AFM’s Legislative Director in Washington, has been working with legislators to turn the groundbreaking bill into law, and affect a seismic shift in the way musicians are paid when their work is broadcast.

Posted in Labor, Pension | Comments Off

802 Moves To Achieve Pension For Artists In NYC Jazz Clubs

Sunday, June 14th, 2009

On Thursday, October 16, the Local 802 Jazz Advisory Committee (JAC) met to address the union’s efforts to get pension contributions from NYC jazz clubs. A door tax forgiven by NY State in 2007 will provide the basis for pension contributions. In 2006-2007, the union collected over 200 signatures of prominent jazz musicians in support of the initiative.

Under the 802 plan, the forgiven 8.375% door tax, which is tacked on to the club’s admission fee, may be applied to pension contributions and also towards unpaid NY State Statutory Benefits, including worker’s compensation, unemployment insurance and disability insurance.

Club owners at 10 area venues: Birdland; Bluenote; Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola; Iridium; Jazz Standard; Kitano; Le Poisson Rouge; Smoke; Sweet Rhythm and the Village Vanguard, have received a letter from the union requesting a meeting on this issue.

If you perform in these clubs, and would like to receive pension for your work there, 802 urges you to contact these clubs and speak up on this vital issue.

To find out how you can help in this effort, contact 802 Jazz Rep Todd Weeks at [email hidden; JavaScript is required] or Bob Cranshaw at [email hidden; JavaScript is required].

Posted in Announcements, Jazz news, Labor, New York City, Pension | Comments Off

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