Local 1000 October 2019 Newsletter
Dear Brothers and Sisters, 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
Upcoming Membership Meetings
We have TWO membership meetings coming up this fall. You do not need to be registered for the conference to attend the meetings.
Saturday, October 26 at 9 am
Folk Alliance Region Midwest Conference (FARM)
Saugatuck Room
Crowne Plaza Grand Rapids Airport
5700 28th Street SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49546
www.farmfolk.org
AND
Friday, November 8 at 10 am
Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA)
Twain Room
Crowne Plaza Hotel
2701 Summer Street
Stamford, CT 06905
www.nerfa.org
Local 1000 at Folk Alliance Region Midwest (FARM)
Local 1000 will be present at FARM in Grand Rapids Michigan October 24-27, 2019. We will host a Showcase Free Zone each night as we do at many of the FAI conferences. Tret Fure, Eve Goldberg and Aaron Fowler will present a panel, Standing Together as Independent Musicians. We will be listening to the concerns of fellow musicians in order to stand together for the things we need as touring musicians.
We will also hold a membership meeting Saturday morning at 9:00 am CST in the Saugatuck Room. There will be Zoom link so if you are not present at FARM you will be able to call in.
NERFA 
Once again, Local 1000 will be at the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance in Stamford, CT.
We will be holding our last membership meeting of the year (details above), and hosting a Showcase Free Zone in the Twain Room.
We will be voting on important proposed bylaw changes and will hold elections. We hope you will join us!
Call for Nominations!
Nominations are open for the following Local 1000 Executive Board positions: Secretary-Treasurer, and Western Rep.
The nominating committee is charged to ensure that there is at least one nominee for each open position. Nominations are open until the end of call for nominations at the November Local 1000 Membership Meeting. (Membership meeting details are above.)
If you are interested in running or would like to nominate a candidate, please contact our Nominations Committee Chair, Charlie King at [email protected]
Proposed Bylaw Changes
In accordance with Article XIII of the Local 1000 Bylaws, proposals to amend the Local 1000 Bylaws will be voted on at the November 8, 2019 Membership Meeting at the Crowne Plaza Stamford in Stamford, Connecticut.
Read through the proposed bylaw changes here.
October Cyber Union Hall – Fair Trade Music Campaign with Debra Cowan 
Debra Cowan will present information about the Local 1000 Fair Trade Music campaign. We are looking to more fully engage not only our members but all touring musicians in conversations that raise the bar for touring musicians.
In addition, if you want to know more how to engage presenters and venue hosts this is the call for you. Your Union is working hard to make working conditions better for all musicians and starting with our list of Fair Trade venues is a way to raise the bar for everyone.
Join Deb on Tuesday night, October 15th. 8:30 EST, 7:30 CST, 6:30 Mountain, 5:30 Pacific.
Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/166206238
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Meeting ID: 166 206 238
Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/adzpdxaPsJ
PAYING GIG ALERT! The Music Performance Trust Fund (MPTF) and MusicianFest!
Members of Local 1000 can apply to perform concerts under the MPTF program which will pay up to 50% of your union scale fee for performing a free public concert. You are responsible for finding a partner organization to co-sponsor the concert. There is a limit of 3 applications per year, per member.
In addition, the MPTF’s MusicianFest program will fund 100% of your union fee for performances at senior centers such as nursing homes, veterans, and hospitals. Local 1000 has been allotted 5 performances this year under this program. Primarily for solo musicians, you are responsible for finding an appropriate venue. Application deadline for MusicianFest is Monday, December 16, 2019.
For details please email Richard: [email protected]
Folk Alliance International Conference 2020
Folk Alliance International has once again offered discounted registration to their annual conference for members of Local 1000.
If you are planning to attend the FAI conference in February 2020, please contact our office at [email protected] for the discount code.
Changes to CITES requirements regarding instruments containing endangered species material
There has been an important update regarding changes to the CITES requirements affecting musicians traveling with instruments containing endangered species material, please follow this link for details: https://oc.ca/en/updates-instruments-endangered-species-material/
Emergency Relief Fund
Please help your brothers and sisters in need by contributing to our Emergency Relief Fund: https://www.local1000.org/product/emergency-relief-fund
Suspension Reinstatement Fees
Effective this quarter, we will be enforcing a reinstatement fee for suspensions. If you are more than one quarter overdue with your dues, you are suspended. When you are suspended you will now be charged an extra $10 on top of the back dues owed. Please see Secretary Treasurer Vi Wickam’s letter explaining these changes in our May 2019 Newsletter.
Canadian Corner
All Cheques for Canadian Pension Contributions Must be Made Out to Musicians’ Pension Fund of Canada
The Musicians’ Pension Fund has advised that, starting November 1st, 2019, they are changing the Custodian for their investment accounts. This change is being implemented to reduce custody fees and improve accuracy of reporting.
Due to these changes, ALL CHEQUES MUST BE MADE OUT TO THEIR CURRENT NAME, MUSICIANS’ PENSION FUND OF CANADA, or some version of said name.
Starting on November 1st, the new custodian will not accept cheques made out to AFM, AFM-EPW Fund or any variation of their old name, as they will have no record of that being the name of the Fund.
Click here for more information.
New Travel Insurance for Canadian Members
Did you know that you can get a great deal on travel insurance through the new Union Savings program offered by CFM?
Visit https://unionsavings.ca and sign up for deals on travel insurance, rental cars, hotel stays, luggage, and more. Contact Cathy Lee, CFM Membership Services Coordinator for more information: [email protected], 416-391-5161 ext. 231(1-800-463-6333).
P2 Processing Times
The CFM is currently advising Canadian members applying for P2 visas to get their application in at least 60 days before the first engagement.
If you are applying, please make sure you download the latest application, which can be found here:
English: http://www.cfmusicians.org/services/work-permits French: http://www.cfmusicians.org/services/permis-de-travail
Please contact Canadian VP Kev Corbett or the CFM for more information.
Take Action!
Performing Artist Tax Parity Act
Congress has introduced bipartisan legislation to assure musicians and other working performers do not experience unjustified tax increases as a result of the passage of the Tax Cut and Jobs Act.
Many musicians are employees who incur significant expenses including concert clothing, travel costs, rehearsal space, studio time, instrument repairs and instrument purchases. Under prior law, the IRS allowed a deduction for necessary expenses incurred in connection with our employment. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act eliminated our option to claim miscellaneous itemized deductions, which allowed performers to deduct work expenses. Many musicians now pay substantially more in taxes as a result.
The Performing Artist Tax Parity Act (PATPA) would update the Qualified Performing Artist (QPA) tax deduction to help musicians and other performers deduct the costs of work-related expenses.
U.S. Pension Fund
There have been some recent important updates about the state of the U.S. pension fund. You can find the latest updates from the pension fund here.
U.S. House of Representatives recently passed the Rehabilitation for Multiemployer Pensions Act, also known as the “Butch Lewis Act.” It has now been reintroduced in the Senate, and Congressional leaders are continuing negotiations to find common ground on a bipartisan solution. These negotiations may produce changes to the bill before it can pass both chambers of Congress and be signed into law by the President.
Contact your Members of Congress here: https://afm-epf.org/Participants/ContactCongress.aspx
Member News
Do you have a new album coming out? Did you recently receive an award?
If you have exciting news to share with Local 1000 members, we want to know. Submit Your News Here!
Membership Update
New and Reinstated Members
We are excited to welcome the following new and recently reinstated members to Local 1000!
Robert Teehan
October Birthdays
Finally, we would like to wish the following members Happy Birthday! If your birthday falls in October and you don’t see it listed below, or if the date is incorrect, please send an email to our Birthday Bunny, Deborah Van Kleef with your birthdate, current phone number and email address.
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10/01 Seamus Kennedy 10/02 Andre Freitas Valerio 10/04 Kathy Peters 10/04 Robert Teehan 10/05 Tom Juravich 10/05 Diem Lafortune 10/05 Sandra Wong 10/07 Samuel Gleaves 10/07 Annie Patterson 10/08 Leigh Cline 10/09 Orit Shimoni 10/11 Annie Gallup 10/12 Jadea Kelly 10/15 Merritt Janes 10/15 Erin McKeown 10/16 Elizabeth Curry 10/16 Beatrix Methe 10/16 Deborah Van Kleef 10/18 Mara Levine 10/19 Lynn Rowan 10/20 Jennifer Camp 10/21 Julia Lane 10/21 Danny Lapidus |
10/23 Margaret Nelson 10/23 Evo Bluestein 10/23 Yann Falquet 10/24 Lowry Olafson 10/25 Maura Kennedy 10/25 Laura Spink 10/26 Chris Quinn 10/27 Marshall Voit 10/28 Monica Leo 10/28 James Keelaghan 10/28 Kevin Maul 10/28 Lee Starck 10/28 Bob Wright 10/29 Jamie Anderson 10/29 Davy Gallant 10/29 David Gans 10/30 Jordan Safer 10/31 Thomas Begich 10/31 Gordon Bok 10/31 Mike Mezzatesta 10/31 Tom Paxton 10/31 Carl Rufh |
In Solidarity,
AFM Local 1000
