December 2022 Newsletter

Dear Union Family,

This is our regular monthly email newsletter. It includes reminders, member news and important announcements from the Executive Board and the office.

News from the Executive Board

President’s Message

Happy Holidays to everyone! I hope you are able to share the seasons with those you love.

Thanks to everyone who attended the Membership meeting last month. There were several important items that were approved during the meeting. Please check below for more information, and a link to the recording of the meeting.

I want to thank Beth Cahill for her service as Secretary-Treasurer the past 3 years. Her tireless work through the pandemic allowed us to secure PPP loans for staff salaries (that were forgiven) as well as a small business loan that is carrying us through these lean times where we’ve seen a huge drop in work dues. Thank you, Beth, for your dedication and guidance.

I also want to welcome your new Secretary-Treasurer Donna Nestler. Donna brings lots of financial experience as she served on her local teacher’s union executive board. Donna will begin her service January 1^st. Please welcome her warmly!

A special thank you to Susan Lewis for her continued service as your West Coast rep. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to your regional rep or to the E-Board. Our email can be found at https://www.local1000.org/our-team/

A team of 16 members are meeting regularly to lay the groundwork for our Fair Trade Music Campaign which is ramping up. If you are interested in getting involved, please contact John McCutcheon at appalseed@folkmusic.com.

Thanks to Annie Paterson and Aileen Vance for hosting our monthly Coffee Hours. Such great fun. Watch your inbox for invitations to our 2023 Coffee Hours.

Have I mentioned how important it is for members to pay Work Dues? Work Dues are the lifeblood of your local. Local 1000 is about ensuring touring musicians are treated fairly and are able to make a living wage, and that takes resources. When you file a union contract (LS1 or LPPC), you get contract protection, a contribution to your pension, and you pay a small amount of work dues that goes towards Local 1000 operations. If you are working but not filing LS1 or LPPC contracts, you can still make Estimated Work Dues contributions each month on your work not covered by a Union contract. If all members not filing contracts made a monthly payment of just $10 we would raise an additional $25,000 for our most needed projects.

I wish you all the very best for the holidays. May your lives be richer from the friendships you have, the songs you sing, and the love and joy you share with the world!

Together we are Mighty!

President Fowler

Important Upcoming Dates

Dec 15: Executive Board Meeting

Dec 21: Fair Trade Music Committee Meeting

Dec 28: Local 1000 Coffee Hour

Feb 1 – 5: Folk Alliance International Conference

For more information, view the Local 1000 calendar.

November Membership Meeting Report

Our last membership meeting of 2022 took place at NERFA in November. Some members attended in person and many more joined by Zoom. We acclaimed a new Secretary-Treasurer, Donna Nestler and acclaimed the continuation of our West Coast Rep., Susan Lewis.

We also passed new minimum scales. You can find these listed in on our website. Thank you to the Scales Committee, led by Joe Jencks, for their work on compiling data from other locals across the US and Canada. Please make sure you use these minimum scales as you negotiate fees, but also file your LS1 or LPPC with the office.

We passed bylaw amendments to make our language more inclusive, and to strengthen our local’s commitment to diversity and equity. Our revised bylaws can be downloaded here. A big thanks to the DEI Working Group for shepherding this through and continuing to remind us of this important work.

Local 1000 at NERFA Report

Members John McCutcheon, John O’Conner, and President Aaron Fowler represented Local 1000 at the NERFA conference in Asbury Park, NJ last month. We had a booth in the exhibition hall and sponsored 3 nights of Local 1000 Showcase-Free Zone (SFZ) sessions. There were great conversations with current members, prospective members, and venues, and we had many exciting exchanges about our Fair Trade Music organizing campaign. Special thanks to the two Johns, Rik Palieri, Rick Nestler, Bob Wright and Saskia Tomkins for leading our SFZ sessions, and thank you to NERFA for their support.

We look forward to seeing you all in Kansas City at the Folk Alliance International conference in February!

Welcome Donna Nestler To The Board

Longtime member Donna Nestler will be stepping into the role of Local 1000 Secretary-Treasurer beginning in January 2023.

Born in Westchester County, New York, Donna’s formal musical journey started with guitar lessons at age 9. It has taken her to playing flute, bassoon, recorders, hammered dulcimer, concertina, banjo, penny whistle, harmonica and, her favorite, banjolele.

During her 33 year tenure as a New York State school teacher, she incorporated music in her Social Studies classroom. Outside the classroom, she was a union representative and Treasurer for the Monticello Teachers’ Association.

Since retiring, she has toured extensively across the US and in Australia with her husband, Rick Nestler, and played locally with her band, The Dirty Stay Out Skifflers.

When not on tour or out sailing on her boat, you can find her at home in Monticello, NY.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Working Group Report

The Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Working Group has spent the better part of 2 years in discussion, trainings and work to address DEI issues in our local. Earlier this year we carried out a demographic survey of members. Thanks to all those who participated! The final results and comments were presented at our November membership meeting and can also be found here. We must continue to address the important issues highlighted by the survey’s results as we look ahead to our future organizing work and the future of our local.

We are also grateful to the Executive Board and to our membership for supporting our proposed changes to the bylaws, in an effort to make our union more inclusive and accountable. A huge shout out and thanks from all of us to Saúl Sarabia of UCLA’s Labor Studies Program and Kasi Perreira, director of the Washington State Labor Council’s Racial & Gender Justice Program for their instrumental guidance in furthering our ongoing work.

Coming up in 2023: DEI members John Acosta and Faith Nolan are collaborating with Peoples Music Network and The Music Performance Trust Fund to bring you a livestream concert in January, featuring BIPOC artists from Local 1000 performing and talking about their work. Date & time TBA. For more info, contact John: john_coz@hotmail.com

In Solidarity & Justice,

Faith Nolan, Eve Goldberg, John Acosta, Matt Watroba, Reggie Harris, and Aileen Vance

Furthering Inclusiveness in the Workplace & in Our Union

by Aileen Vance

I would love to see our local and our Federation move away from using the terms “Brothers and Sisters” to address members.

What terms of address do you like?  I’ve been using “union family,” “union siblings,” and “union comrades.” I hope that we can find more inclusive ways to address our members in writing (such as in the President’s Report, the newsletter or on Facebook announcements) as well as out loud when we are identifying each other at meetings and events.  

There are women in the AFL-CIO who can remember what a battle it was just to adopt the word “sisters” into official union language. In fact, some unions still haven’t even embraced that (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers is just one example of a union that hasn’t included their women members in their name). But I hope we can “put our words into action” and make the effort to change/update our forms of addressing one another so that everyone knows that we mean everyone when we say “This union has your back!” 

Below are some articles to read for some suggestions, examples and resolution ideas. We can be the change we want to see in the world. I invite you to start trying to change to way you open a meeting, call on a fellow member or write a committee report.

Click this link for a great article from this.org on finding more inclusive language to address our fellow union members:
https://this.org/2016/12/05/should-unions-still-call-workers-brothers-and-sisters/ 

The organization Pride At Work has been doing a lot of great work on this issue; visit their website for more info:  
https://www.prideatwork.org/issues/transgender-working-people/
https://www.prideatwork.org

Finally, here’s a great article on trans workers building an inclusive labor movement:
https://ourtimes.ca/article/be-bold-be-brave

Peace, love & solidarity,
Aileen

<

Fair Trade Music

The Fair Trade Music (FTM) Committee, along with members of the EBoard, are in the midst of an intense organizing training, led by Debra Kidney and Sarah Laslett, two experienced labor educators and activists in the Northwest. It is a four-part training aimed at creating more focused and powerful strategies for a successful FTM campaign. The NERFA conference yielded a lot of interest in FTM from both members and presenters and we look forward to a targeted and productive campaign.

One important element to the campaign will be the education and involvement of our membership. Our members are the front-line organizers, identifying presenters and audiences that will join us in this community-wide transformation. Stay tuned for ways you can be a part of this dynamic effort. For more information, email fairtrademusic@local1000.org

Canadian Corner

December is often the most eventful month of the year. Lots of music, lots of celebration, lots of snow. My wish for you, dear L1K members, is a calm season, with much joy, more music and food, friends and family and  an excellent 2023!

‘Lang may yer lum reek’ (Scottish for ‘long may your chimney smoke’)

Arthur McGregor, VP from Canada

AFM Hurricane Fund Relief Application

Were you affected by Hurricane Fiona or Hurricane Ian? There may be some limited emergency relief funding available to you through the AFM Emergency Relief Fund. More information is available here, or contact Richard in the Local 1000 office.

Emergency Relief Fund

The Local 1000 Emergencey Relief Fund has $500 no-interest loans available to members in need. To apply, go to: https://www.local1000.org/resources/emergency-relief-fund/

Website Feedback

Our new website has been live for some time now, but it is still a work in progress, since it is such a complex and large site—and the Communications Committee wants your feedback! Please contact us if you have comments, or if you experience issues like pages not loading, broken links, outdated/missing content, etc. Send your comments to Susan Lewis at rebelgal@comcast.net. Thanks!

Have You Filled Out Your Member Profile?

Our member directory is a great way to tell fellow members and the general public about yourself. You can upload photos, include links to your website and social media sites, and fill in information about where you tour, what instruments you play, what kinds of gigs you do, and what genres you perform in.

To be included in the Member Directory, you must be current on all dues and fees. After you log into your account, navigate to your profile and click on “edit your Local 1000 profile.” Step-by-step instructions and a video tutorial are available here: https://www.local1000.org/how-to-edit-your-profile/ 

Local 1000 Virtual Union Coffee Hours

Local 1000 Virtual Union Coffee Hours return this fall!  Annie Patterson & Aileen Vance will again be hosting a social hour on the last Wednesday of each month. Please join us for this informal hour of conversation and support with your union family.

Remaining 2022 Meeting Dates:

Wednesday, December 28

12pm Pacific / 2pmCentral / 3pmEastern

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84571199711?pwd=M09IRktXalhOU3d2clNsL0FWWDd1UT09

Meeting ID: 845 7119 9711
Passcode: 787295

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kb3y8kYF1j

Social Media Handles

Are you connected to Local 1000’s Social Media accounts? If not, make sure you like or follow us!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afmlocal1000

Twitter: https://twitter.com/local1000afm

Facebook Public Page: https://www.facebook.com/local1000afm

We also have a private member page, which is to facilitate communication between members of Local 1000 and to promote discussion of Local 1000 issues amongst our members. Please ask to join this page to connect with your fellow members (note: this page is for current Local 1000 members only — friends of the Local are encouraged to like our public page instead.)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/AFM.Local1000

Work Dues Equivalency/Solidarity Pledge

Are you signed up for monthly Estimated Work Dues or Solidarity Pledge payments?

Learn more here. 
 

Music Performance Trust Fund Grants Available

You can get up to 50% funding for a live or streaming concert through the Music Performance Trust Fund of the AFM. You will need a co-sponsoring organization, and applications must be submitted 30 days in advance of the performance. Please contact Richard in the office for more information (with email/phone number).

MusicianFest Grants Available

MusicianFest is a specific project of the Music Performance Trust Fund that supports performances in seniors residences. Local 1000 has been allocated 5 grants for members through the MusicFest program. Please contact Richard in the office for more info.

Member News

Tell us your news! Have you released an album, won an award, been involved in an interesting initiative that you’d like to let people know about?

If you have exciting news to share with Local 1000 members, we want to know. Submit Your News Here!

Submissions should relate to significant career events, Please do not submit individual gig or tour announcements. Thank you!

We’ll include your news in an upcoming Local 1000 e-newsletter, and we’ll post it on our public Local 1000 page at https://www.facebook.com/local1000afm

December Birthdays

Finally, we would like to wish the following members Happy Birthday! If your birthday falls in December and you don’t see it listed below, or if the date is incorrect, please send an email to Deborah Van Kleef with your birthdate, current phone number and email address. Thanks to Deborah and fellow Birthday Bunnies, Lydia Adams Davis, Arthur McGregor and Tim Van Egmond.

In Solidarity,

AFM Local 1000