Local 1000 December 2017 Newsletter
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
This is our regular monthly email newsletter that goes out to everyone in the first week of each month. It includes reminders, member news and important announcements from the Executive Board and the office.
News from the Executive Board
Local 1000 at NERFA
It was great to see so many members at the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA). It was a busy conference with much activity, conversation, and catching up, as well as our fall membership meeting. Our Showcase-Free Zone was a highlight for conference attendees, and we talked to lots of potential members at our booth in the exhibit hall. A huge thank you to NERFA for their support.
Membership Meeting and Elections Report
We had good attendance at our fall membership meeting at NERFA, including several members who logged in from afar on their computers. Thanks to all who came! Our main piece of business was finalizing the nominations for our open board positions.
We are pleased to announce that all three positions were filled by acclamation! Welcome to our new President, Eve Goldberg. Kev Corbett joins us as our new Vice President from Canada, and Amber Rogers-Clark carries on as Midwest Rep.
This was outgoing President Tret Fure’s last membership meeting as president. We took a moment at our membership meeting to thank her for stellar service to Local 1000 over the years, and for leading us as president for the last six years. We presented her with a card signed by many Local 1000 members as well as a gift certificate to her favorite restaurant and a gift card for art supplies. Thank you Tret!
Our next membership meeting will be at Folk Alliance in Kansas City. The exact time and location will be announced soon. We hope to see you there!
Membership Drive!
Have we got a deal for you! Do you know someone who should join Local 1000? Help us grow! YOU are our best advertising. Tell your friends about the benefits of Local 1000 membership.
From January 1 – March 31st, there will be NO initiation fee for new members. That’s a $100 (US) savings. Please spread the word!
Committee on Sexual Harassment
At our recent membership meeting, we had a good initial discussion about sexual harassment in the music industry and what Local 1000 can be doing about it. As a first step, we are forming an Ad Hoc Committee on Sexual Harassment in the Workplace. We are looking for members to participate.
Please contact the office at [email protected] if you would like join the committee.
Cyber Union Hall updates
Thank you to everyone who joined us in 2017 on one of our Cyber Union Hall video chats. It was wonderful to meet so many of our members in that space. We will not have a December Cyber Union Hall.
Our January Cyber Union Hall will feature our Secretary/Treasurer Vi Wickham on the topic Make More Money — strategies for making more money, and how Local 1000 can be a part of these strategies.
The calls are on the 3rd Tuesday of each month at 9pm EST. We will post the topics, times and links in our monthly newsletter as well as on our FaceBook pages. We hope you will join us for one or more of these sessions.
New Member Orientation Calls
Last November we hosted our first New Member Orientation calls. It was another great opportunity to meet face to face (across thousands of miles) with fellow Union members. Because of the success of this call we are scheduling quarterly calls for new members (or any member) to learn more about the Local and to answer questions you may have about Local 1000.
Involvement and understanding can empower all of us on this journey of making music across the miles. We will host these calls in the third month of each quarter (March, June, September, December). Be watching the newsletter, your email inbox and our FaceBook pages.
Call For Performing Songwriters/Teachers
Songwriting Works (SW), a non-profit music organization, is seeking five professional performing songwriters from Houston, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, Connecticut and Mobile, AL who have strong community-based music-making and teaching skills, and experience working with older adults, to join a national pilot project. Selected artists will train with SW in late January, then facilitate a 12-week series of music improvisation and community songwriting workshops with elders who live in HUD (low-income, subsidized housing) communities.
Artists of all musical genres who meet the criteria (see link) are welcome to apply. APPLICATIONS are due DECEMBER 10th, 2017. All artist training, teaching and meeting time will be compensated based upon American Federation of Musicians union rates of pay.
More info and downloadable flyer here: www.songwritingworks.org/call-for-artists
Canadian Corner
“A Plan for Everyone” Pharmacare Initiative
The Canadian Labour Congress recently launched a campaign for a national Pharmacare Program. Unlike all other countries that offer universal healthcare, Canada does not have a universal prescription drug plan. The cost of prescription drugs can be devastating, especially for self-employed musicians who are often not covered by supplemental insurance plans through an employer. Please add your voice to this important initiative! Visit www.aplanforeveryone.ca for more information.
New Canadian Contract
Do you file union contracts for your gigs? There is a new version of the LPCC (for performances in Canada) available here. Please use this version of the LPCC going forward.
If you don’t file contracts, why not?! Contact Local 1000 Canadian VP Eve Goldberg to find out how you can have the protection of the union and contribute to a pension!
P2 Updates
The CFM is raising the administration fee for processing of P2 visas. The new fee is $120 for the first musician/technician and $25 per additional musician/technician. The increase is being implemented gradually and the CFM office will accept the old fee until the new year.
The processing time for P2 applications has come down and the CFM is now advising Canadian members applying for P2 visas to get their application in at least 75 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 Eve Goldberg or the CFM for more information.
Local 1000 Membership Update
We are excited to welcome the following new and recently reinstated members to Local 1000!
New and Reinstated Members
Andrew Antipin
Wayne Greene
Merritt Janes
Hannah Naiman
David Newland
Jessica Wang
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 our Birthday Bunny, Deborah Van Kleef with your birthdate, current phone number and email address.
| 12/01 Zachariah Hickman
12/02 Kristin Lems 12/02 Carol Oppenheimer 12/03 Craig Harley 12/03 Nicholas Williams 12/03 Jessica Wang 12/04 Frank Evans 12/05 Lenore Elaine 12/06 Patricia E.D. Belcon 12/06 Nitanju Bolade Casel 12/07 Chris Jones 12/07 Craig Werth 12/09 Brendan Doherty 12/10 Reggie Harris 12/10 Dirje Childs 12/10 Alfredo Ortiz 12/11 Matt Turk 12/11 Dong Uk Kim 12/12 Chris Kerba 12/12 N. Rae Sovereign 12/13 Greg Greenway |
12/14 Andy Irwin
12/14 Alexander Wong 12/15 Teresa Gonda 12/19 Claude Methe 12/20 Billy Bragg 12/22 Sharon Marshall 12/22 Tania Elizabeth 12/24 Alexandra Bradbury 12/24 Louis Simao 12/25 Tom Rawson 12/26 Tom Kastle 12/26 Tommy Slothower 12/26 Peter Katz 12/26 Steve Deasy 12/26 Jesse Palidofsky 12/29 Ken Giles 12/29 Daniel Senie 12/30 Sue Passmore 12/31 Billy Kemp 12/31 Laurel Premo 12/31 Faith Senie |
In Solidarity,
AFM Local 1000