The convention of the American Federation of Musicians will be held from June 18-20 2007 in Las Vegas. There are resolution and recommendations that concern us as Theatre Musicians. The financial package proposals being put forth by the AFM Revenue Committee that was mandated by the 2005 Convention as part of the overall financial package it passed, and the financial package being proposed by the IEB are of great concern to us as Theatre Musicians. Either of these packages has the potential to create more divisions in our already splintered AFM.
The AFM Revenue Committee will recommend raising work dues across the board. You will be required to pay an additional 0.10% on all your theatre wages to the Federation. This increase is being proposed as a “pass through” so the local’s work dues would automatically be raised to reflect this increase. Locals will not be allowed to absorb this increase.
The Revenue Committee has also proposed a $5.00 per capita increase for each of the next three years. The proposal also includes making the AFM Convention triennial rather than biannual.
The IEB proposal is even worse because it proposes to raise Theatre work dues by a 1/2% and calls for $2.00 per capita increases in each year, also over the next three years making the AFM Convention triennial rather than biannual.
In 2003, the Federation raised symphonic work dues 0.05%, and had all traveling theatrical work dues go to the Federation and none to the locals. These and other work dues raises were supposed to fix the financial problem and allow for greater services in these fields. Neither has been true.
The AFM is asking for more money without showing us where and how the increased funding will be spent, or why it is needed.
Our local theater contracts are negotiated and administered by our locals. The cost of negotiating and administering our local CBAs is paid for by our locals. So, what service does the AFM provide us with, for the work dues increase that would go straight to the Federation?
Our brothers and sisters in the symphonic world already pay .55% to the Federation which has generated 8.3 million dollars between 2001-2005. Raising their dues could be especially dangerous, divisive, and detrimental to the Federation. Many of the local unions with ICSOM Orchestras pay for their negotiations and do not use the AFM Symphonic Services Division for their negotiations.
I urge you to immediately have your chapters compose and sign a letter to your Local Officers and other Local Officers in your vicinity letting them know that they should vote NO on any work dues and or dues increases.
We must do this immediately.
Sincerely,
Vicky Smolik
President
TMA