March 2023 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

March is here. In like a Lion, out like a Lamb? We shall see.

Your E-Board is working hard to educate and energize folks around work dues payments. If you have been reading these President’s messages, you know I have been talking about work dues and Estimated Work Dues for a long time. To those who are filing contracts and paying work dues, thank you! To those that are still gearing back up from limited playing during COVID we want to remind you that your work dues (2.5% of music wages) is still required and what makes our Union work. Annual dues goes mostly to the AFM while work dues pays our bills. If you are not filing contracts, Estimated Work Dues is a simple way to pay your non-contracted work dues.

Since the Folk Alliance conference in Kansas City, Local 1000 has been very active in educating people about the huge increases being proposed for P2 Visa fees by the Department of Homeland Security. It is crucial that we continue to get the message out to all our fans and colleagues about how this increase will affect our members, the folk scene, and the North American music industry. Please read below or go to tinyurl.com/nofeeincrease and share this information with all your friends, family and fans.

Don’t forget to check out all the other important work being done by L1K in the articles below. Thanks to everyone who helps make this union go. Your faithfulness to committee work and volunteering keeps the family together.

Together We Are Mighty!

President Fowler

URGENT ACTION!! Oppose Proposed Increases To Performing Visa Fees

The US Customs and Immigration Service is proposing a HUGE increase to fees for P and O visas. This is unfair to our Canadian members and will have a severe negative impact on our entire music eco-system since the international folk scene thrives on cross-border pollination.

You can help stop these proposed changes by taking action now.

US citizens:

• Comment on the proposed changes on the federal register: tinyurl.com/visafeecomments
  (commenting open until March 13th)
• Write or phone your federal representatives: tinyurl.com/whosincongress
  (phone calls are FAR more effective)
• Include this call to action in your next newsletter.
• Speak out about this at your concerts.
• Share this call to action with your friends, family, and music industry contacts

Canadian citizens:

• Canadians have no say over US government policy. But your US friends and industry contacts do!!
• Share this call to action with your friends, family, and music industry contacts in the US.

More info here: tinyurl.com/nofeeincrease

Please take action now!

Folk Alliance Conference Report

Local 1000 had an important presence at the Folk Alliance International (FAI) conference in Kansas City last month. In addition to a booth in the exhibition hall (where we signed up 4 new members!) we hosted our Showcase Free Zone for four nights. There was lots of great singing and sharing—it was magical! We distributed hundreds of “Take Action Now” cards with specific information about the proposed increases to P2 visa fees. We also hosted a “Teach In” on the visa situation on Saturday. Thanks to everyone who came and lent a song and your voice to this movement. A special thanks to Liana White from the Canadian Federation of Musicians for her leadership and continuing work on this issue.

Report From the Black American Music Summit at FAI

Member Deidre McCalla attended the Black American Music Summit that took place at Folk Alliance, participating in panels and workshops, and appearing in a Black American Music private showcase. Her report has been posted to the website here.

Membership Meeting Report

Our first 2023 membership meeting was held in February at FAI with 26 members attending in person and online. We heard updates and reports from a variety of committees who are working hard on important issues for Local 1000. The minutes from the meeting are available here.

DEI Working Group – Panel Discussion

The Diversity Equity and Inclusion Working Group is excited to announce “Folk Pathways: Diversity in Song,” an online concert featuring live performances from BIPOC artists from North to South America. Co-sponsored by Local 1000 and the Music Performance Trust Fund (MPTF). More details TBA. Mark your calendars and plan to attend!

FOLK PATHWAYS: DIVERSITY IN SONG

Fri March 31st 

12 pm New York / 9 am Pacific / 2 pm Buenos Aires

Streaming online via YouTube Live

To receive the link, contact Jon Acosta at cozmatics2022@gmail.com

Committee and E-Board meetings

The bulk of the work of this Union gets done through the hundreds of volunteer hours provided by committee members and the Ex. Board. The E-Board meets every 6 weeks via zoom and the committees meet regularly to carry out the business of our Local. If you want to join the excitement or have a concern that you think we should be addressing, please contact President Fowler. It takes all of us working together to stand up and fight for our work. We need you! Please consider joining us.

Conference Call – Represent Local 1000!

Local 1000 hopes to be represented at more conferences to reach musicians in a range of the independent music industry. Our labor and voices are needed now more than ever, for our members and non-members alike. If you are going to be attending a conference and want to help spread the word of Local 1000 please contact President Aaron Fowler to see how you can be an Ambassador for YOUR UNION.

Important Upcoming Dates

Mar 29: Womens’ Coffee & Caucus

Mar 31: Folk Pathways: Diversity in Song Panel

April 13: E-Board Meeting

For more information, view the Local 1000 calendar

Local 1000 Women’s Coffee & Caucus

The first meeting of the Local 1000 Women’s Coffee & Caucus happened on February 22^nd. There was much sharing and a number of ideas brought forward, with the general idea of allowing the group to grow and find its direction organically.  The group agreed to continue meeting, and set a next meeting for Wednesday, March 29^th. Join us for support, sharing experiences, truth, action, planning future events, and amplifying women’s voices in our union.  

Women’s Coffee & Caucus

Wed Mar 29 at 3pm ET

Zoom link

Meeting ID: 822 7619 6970
Passcode: 288278

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

Communications Committee (Comm Comm)

The Comm Comm is reviewing the website to determine what needs to be updated and/or changed. If you have any feedback on the website, please contact Susan Lewis, your Western Rep on the Executive Board at rebelgal@comcast.net

Please update your profile! If you are not sure how, there is a video that walks you through the process. You must be logged in to complete your profile. If you don’t know your log-in credentials, contact the office: together@local1000.org

Emergency Relief Fund

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

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

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

March Birthdays

Finally, we would like to wish the following members Happy Birthday! If your birthday falls in March 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