Archive for the ‘Labor’ Category

J4JA! Update

Wednesday, July 1st, 2009

Over 800 musicians have signed our Justice for Jazz Artists! (J4JA!) petition to get benefits in the NY area jazz clubs.

Most have come in via the J4JA website, the Broadway pit orchestras, and a Constant Contact mailing from earlier this month. Many signatures have also been procured by musicians.

Recent prominent signers include:

Regina Carter James Carter David Amram Bob Wilber

Phil Woods James Spaulding Rudresh Mahanthappa

Judi Silvano  Nicholas Payton  Phil Woods

Organist, DJ and Local 802 Member Jon Hammond came through with streaming video and KYOU radio spots, and some timely postings on the web, which have had a definite impact.

Thanks Jon!

http://tinyurl.com/mmyst8

http://www.viddler.com/explore/h…

Justice for Jazz Artists Facebook Cause page has 115 members and is growing daily.  If you are on Facebook, join the cause and get your frinds to join as well.

We are negotiating with Judson Memorial Church (in Washington Square Park) so that they may rent us space for an NYC rally at the end of September

Our letter to former NYC mayor Honorable David N. Dinkins is signed and ready to go. We are also preparing letters for Chairman of House Ways and Means Committee Charles Rangle and other prominent NY political figures

Here is an updated list of our Coalition Endorsers:

American Federation of Musicians, Tom Lee, President; Sam Folio, Secretary Treasurer
Local 802, American Federation of Musicians
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 City 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
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
Amiri Baraka, Poet, Writer, Activist*
John Chilton, Jazz Historian
Loren Schoenberg, Jazz Writer, Archivist*
Stanley Crouch, Journalist, Jazz Historian*
Maxine Gordon (widow of Dexter Gordon) *
Gary Giddins, Jazz Journalist
Nat Hentoff, Jazz Journalist
NY City Councilwoman Diana Reyna (D-34, Brooklyn)
NY City Councilman Eric N. Gioia (D-26, Queens) *
NY City Councilwoman Jessica Lappin (D-5, Manhattan) *

*signed on in the last two weeks

Thanks for all of your hard work, and for supporting J4JA!

Spread the Word!

Best,

Todd Bryant Weeks
J4JA

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

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

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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