Local 1000 March 2018 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
New Deal Winter 2018
Our official New Deal publication for Winter 2018 is now available!
Please read it thoroughly as it contains information about our 25th Anniversary Gathering, Election Results, News About Local 1000 Members and much more!
Most members should have already received a print copy in the mail. A PDF version can be downloaded here.
Folk Alliance International Conference Report
The 30th Annual Folk Alliance was held in Kansas City and your Local was there. It was wonderful to see many of our members at our Showcase Free Zone sessions, on stage performing, contributing on panels, singing in numerous showcase rooms and joining us at our booth. The week was filled with music, conversation and reconnections.
A special thanks to members Holly Near, Shawna Caspi, Guy Davis, Joe Jencks, Cathy Fink and Jeremy Kittel, who led our Showcase Free Zone sessions!
We also had a great membership meeting on Wednesday afternoon. Members who were in attendance at the conference, as well as many who joined us online, heard information about the Local, approved the 2018 budget and shared in several important conversations about continuing to move the local forward.
Proposed Dues Increase
The Executive Board is recommending an increase of $5 a year for Local 1000 membership dues, effective October 1, 2018. This would bring annual membership dues to US$177 per year. Dues have not been increased since 2013. Over the past year, we have significantly cut some costs and we are keeping a close eye on all of our spending. Despite these measures, it is challenging for Local 1000 to cover expenses. We are one of the largest locals in the union without a major collective bargaining agreement, such as a symphony, and because the majority of our members don’t regularly file contracts, we do not have the work dues income that other similarly-sized locals benefit from. The dues increase will help us cover our basic costs and keep the office running more smoothly for members.
The dues increase will be voted on by the membership at our June membership meeting in Silver Spring, MD.
Proposed Scales Increase
Our scales committee, in collaboration with the executive board, is also recommending changes to scale wages. We have not increased scale, which sets the minimum wages for contracted gigs since 2012. Members are always free to negotiate fees above scale.
The new scale wages would be:
$250 for solo concert (currently $230)
$120 for solo small concert (currently $110)
$75 for solo opener (currently $70)
$120 for leader of ensemble at a small venue (currently $110)
$60 for a side player of an ensemble at a small venue. (currently $55)
All other scales would remain the same.
The increase in scale wages will be voted on by the membership at our June meeting in Silver Spring, MD. Thanks to our scales committee, chaired by Joe Jencks, for their work!
New Members Orientation Cyber Call, March 20th
Join us on Tuesday, March 20th for our New Member Orientation Call. This call is for both new members of Local 1000 and those who just want to learn more about the Local. Our call will be at 9:00 EST, 8:00 CST, 7:00 MST and 6:00 PST. Even if you are not a new member but just want to see the many benefits of your membership, please join us.
Time: Mar 20, 2018 8:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android: https://zoom.us/j/921679223
Or iPhone one-tap :
US: +16699006833, 921679223# or +16465588656, 921679223#
Or Telephone:
US: +1 669 900 6833 or +1 646 558 8656
Canadian: +1 647 558 0588
Meeting ID: 921 679 223
Membership Drive
Do you know someone who has been meaning to join Local 1000? Or someone who you think should be a member? Help us grow our membership!
From now until March 31, the US$100 initiation fee will be waived on new memberships.
Please encourage your friends and colleagues to sign up today!
Local 1000 Member Retreat / Great Labor Arts Exchange
Local 1000 will be celebrating 25 years this year, and to mark the occasion, we will be partnering with the Great Labor Arts Exchange (GLAE), where Local 1000 was born those many years ago. We will be presenting a stream of programming as part of the GLAE annual gathering in Silver Spring, MD from Thursday June 21 – Sunday June 24, 2018. On Sunday, after the gathering is over, we will hold a member retreat and gathering for the day, followed by a party.
Local 1000 Member Retreat/Great Labor Arts Exchange
Thurs., Jun 21 – Sun Jun 24, 2018
Tommy Douglas Conference Centre
Silver Spring, MD
Hold the dates and plan to attend! Details coming soon!
Local 1000 at SERFA
The Southeast Regional Folk Alliance conference is coming up and Local 1000 will be there! We’ll be hosting a late-night Showcase Free Zone, and participating in a panel. The conference will take place May 16-20 in Montreat, NC.
More information at www.serfa.org
2018 Membership Meetings
There will be two more membership meetings in 2018. Mark your calendars and plan to attend!
Jun 24, 2018 – Great Labor Arts Exchange, Silver Spring, MD
Nov 8 or 9, 2018 – Northeast Regional Folk Alliance, Stamford, CT
Canadian Corner
P2 Updates
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 Kev Corbett or the CFM for more information.
Member News
Local 1000 Member Mara Levine Tops the Folk Charts!
Mara Levine’s latest single “You Reap What You Sow,” written by Susan Shann, was the #1 single on the Folk DJ Chart for November 2017, and was subsequently #16 for 2017. It was also on the Bluegrass Today “Grassicana” chart for 7 weeks in 2018, peaking at #9! The song is a preview from her upcoming third CD Facets of Folk and it features bluegrass luminaries Greg Blake and Mollie O’Brien on harmony vocals, Bob Harris (guitar), Andy Leftwich (mandolin), Mark Schatz (bass) and Scott Vestal (banjo).
Listen here and read the feature by John Lawless on Bluegrass Today!
Mara will be touring Europe for the first time in April, Ireland, Germany and the Netherlands. Her website is www.maralevine.com
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 our Birthday Bunny, Deborah Van Kleef with your birthdate, current phone number and email address.
| 03/01 Jonathan Carroll
03/01 Ian Clark 03/01 Eric Erickson 03/01 George Wurzbach 03/03 Victor Lewis 03/04 Carol Maillard 03/04 Howard Wooden 03/05 Freebo 03/05 Christine Havrilla 03/05 Chris Luedecke 03/06 Diane Ferlatte 03/06 Marie Savoie-Levac 03/07 Aileen Vance 03/09 John Wright 03/09 Martha Cohen 03/10 Bennett Zurofsky 03/13 Andrea England 03/13 Tom Chapin 03/13 Tim Posgate 03/14 David Roth 03/14 Michael Mark 03/15 Molly Mason 03/15 Bernard Gilbert 03/16 William Perras 03/16 James Robertson |
03/16 Robin Williams
03/17 Raven Polson-Lahache 03/18 Sharon Abreu 03/18 Leonardo Biciunas 03/18 Tret Fure 03/18 James McKie 03/18 Kerri Ough 03/18 Tim Van Egmond 03/19 Nicolas Babineau 03/19 David Durning 03/19 Daniel Jordan 03/20 Ed Caner 03/21 Mary Monagan 03/22 Lui Collins 03/22 Bev Grant 03/23 Robert Adern 03/23 Heather Roy 03/24 Aliza Thibodeau 03/25 David Braid 03/27 Rik Barron 03/29 Adam Stotland 03/30 Morgan Doctor 03/30 Pat Humphries 03/30 Terry Gillespie 03/31 Bucky Halker |
In Solidarity,
AFM Local 1000