Local 1000 September 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)
Crowne Plaza Grand Rapids Airport
5700 28th Street SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49546
AND
Friday, November 8 at 10 am
Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA)
Twain Room
Crowne Plaza Hotel
2701 Summer Street
Stamford, CT 06905
Local 1000 at Folk Alliance Region Midwest (FARM)
Local 1000 will be at the October FARM conference in Grand Rapids Michigan October 24-27, 2019.
We will host our Show Case Free Zone room each night of the conference and will have a Membership Meeting on Saturday morning, Oct. 26th at 9:00 AM. The membership meeting will have a Zoom link so those not able to attend the conference will be able to attend the membership meeting.
If you will be attending the conference and would like to host one of our SFZ sessions, contact Aaron Fowler, aaron@aaronfowler.org.
Our Union sister Tret Fure is the guest speaker at the conference. We hope you will be able to attend. For questions contact Aaron.
Details for the conference and membership meeting are available above.
NERFA
Once again, Local 1000 will have a presence 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.
More information will be shared soon. 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 vaguelyrem@aol.com
September Cyber Union Hall – New Member Orientation with Aaron Fowler
Each Quarter the Local 1000 Board hosts a Cyber Union Hall meeting for all new Union Members. This call is an informative chance to learn about the value of your membership in AFM Local 1000. In addition to learning about the Local there will be time set aside to ask any questions you have about membership and to share your vision for the local.
Our next call will take place at 8:30pm EST on Tuesday, September 17th, and will be hosted by our US Vice President Aaron Fowler.
Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/549717328
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+16465588656, 549717328# US (New York)
+17207072699, 549717328# US (Denver)
Dial by your location
+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
+1 720 707 2699 US (Denver)
Meeting ID: 549 717 328
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: richard@local1000.org
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 together@local1000.org for the discount code.
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
CBC Update
The CFM recently reported that on July 3, 2019, the members who work under the CFM/CBC General Production Agreement ratified in favor of the proposed successor agreement, 2019-2023.
The English-language version of the Agreement is presently being translated. When completed both versions will be posted to the CFM website: http://www.cfmusicians.org/services
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: clee@afm.org, 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. The Trustees will insist that any resulting compromise must fully address this crisis and treat our participants fairly.
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!
From Deb Cowan:
I am really pleased that my newest EP “Greening the Dark” is being featured in the September issue of the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) monthly magazine, “International Musician” in the New Releases” section. All the musicians involved received a pension contribution on their behalf and scale wages. Local 1000 received a work dues contribution for this contract.
“Greening the Dark” was done under the AFM Low-Budget recording contract. I have to give many thanks to Brother Steve Eulberg and Owl Mountain Music for the help in making this a reality. Also thanks to Brother John McCutcheon for his advice and guidance with the process. I have decided that every recording from now on will be done under a Union contract. It really is a win-win for all involved: Pension contributions, work dues for the Local and a check to all the musicians from the Special Payments Fund.
Membership Update
New and Reinstated Members
We are excited to welcome the following new and recently reinstated members to Local 1000!
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David Gavan Baxter Adam Bowman Bill Foss Tanya Tagaq Gillis Martha Hawthorne Denny Hawthorne-Fox |
Avotcja Jiltonilro Diem Lafortune Chris MacLean Catherine MacLellan Brenna MacCrimmon |
September Birthdays
Finally, we would like to wish the following members Happy Birthday! If your birthday falls in September 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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09/01 Valdy Horsdal 09/02 Linda Tillery 09/03 James Hill 09/03 Sue Jeffers 09/04 Michael Davidson 09/04 Alexandre Millaire 09/05 Andrea Beaton 09/05 Kaia Kater-Hurst 09/07 Teresa Chandler 09/07 Kaitlin Milroy 09/10 David Heitler-Klevans 09/10 Suzanne Jaroszynski 09/11 William McLeod Garrett 09/11 Hank Woji 09/12 Adrian Passarelli 09/13 Joel Mabus 09/14 Elise Witt 09/15 Rosalyn Dennett 09/15 Elijah McKenty 09/17 Terry Irons 09/17 Joel Schwartz |
09/18 Peter Alsop 09/19 Jaron Freeman 09/19 Sally Rogers 09/19 Daniel Rougeau 09/19 Keith Grimwood 09/20 Andre Blais 09/21 Douglas Cox 09/22 Scott Ainslie 09/23 Harry Aceto 09/23 Ralph Agresta 09/23 Jason Mercer 09/23 Ani DiFranco 09/23 Tony Nguyen 09/23 Christopher Ousley 09/23 Susan Robinson 09/24 Carol Young 09/25 Stacey Earle 09/28 Gabriel Kahn 09/28 Sue Massek 09/29 Dan Crary 09/30 Kevin Harvey |
In Solidarity,
AFM Local 1000
