The keyboard player and the union

[Bartolomeo]

I recently talked with a pianist who is a member of the local musician's union and while I doubt that I will join, I'm curious about the practical implications of union playing.

 

The union doesn't permit its members to share the stage with non-union players, and has some limitations on the kinds of recording contracts you can sign. I am not sure that I could live with these provisions and don't have a compelling reason to join. I do think that I'll raise my rates to union scale in the few situations where they have been lower.

 

Share your stories of union playing here and whether it has worked for you or been an obstacle.

[Bridog6996]

I've never joined a union, but there are some benefits. A minimum performance wage is one of them. I often make more than union scale anyway, but sometimes it helps to know that you can count on at least a certain amount. Unions also usually provide their members with pretty regular work playing at functions, session work, etc. There are some gigs that hire only union musicians. Also, a union will usually provide health care and retirement benefits.

[Mr. Nightime]

Way back when I was a member of the Musician's Union. The only time I saw a union rep was when they had their hand out demanding work dues.

In fact, there was a grievance filed by a club owner against the band leader of the country band I was in. I was a no show for a gig that he had never contracted to play. But, his signature was on the contracts. There were two copies of the contract, typed on obviously different typewriters. However, the signature on both contracts were identical. No one signs their name twice exactly the same, so even a layman could tell the contracts were a forgery. The union, in it's infinite wisdom, ruled AGAINST the band leader, even in the face of the forgery. I've had little use for the union since then.

At one time, they were a big help in improving working conditions for players, but I feel they've outlived their usefulness.

[Prague]

I'm not a union fan, in general. But this is musicians we're talking about.

 

Before:

Agents only hired capable, and union, bands. The main venues to hired only union bands. Venues payed union scale and more. Venues that didn't pay a band were blackballed by the union and had to suffer with non-union (lousy) bands. Contracts were signed and enforced.

 

We had another band show up at a gig. They claimed to be booked. We had the contract and our union cards. We called the local union and they sent a rep. He talked to the bar owner and they found out the problem (an errant bartender). We played and got payed.

 

Nowadays, we have pay-to-play, lousy bands, and dwindling audiences. Hmmm.

 

This was the Mpls. union, by the way. I'm not sure the ways of old (up through the 1980's) can ever be recovered, though. Musicians aren't smart enough. They cut their own throats.

[Mr. Nightime]

The story that I relayed happened in the late 70's. I'm not even sure we have a union in my area.

[Bridog6996]

They're becoming increasingly scarce. Unions are still holding somewhat strong in major cities (New York, Los Angeles, etc.)

[RABid]

I was only in one union band during my coverband days. Not all members have to be in the union for the band to be union. The band paid dues for two members and we played a yearly benefit. The biggest bonus was protection from club owners who try to screw over bands. Ironically, that was the one band that was popular enough not to worry about such things.

 

What we really need from the union is protection from managers.

 

Robert

[DanL]

I never joined the local union. It serviced mostly country club/ black tie affairs and had a short list of players who were on the inner circle who got the good gigs. Being a bar band, the band had no use for it because the clubs don't care whether you are union or not and if you were would probably hire a non union band anyway.

[DafDuc]

I've been in the union for 30 years.

 

Not sure why...

[JeffLearman]

I remember wishing I was a union member ... once.

 

When I travel, if there's a piano in the hotel, I play it. Usually it's in some room where a crew is cleaning up from the night before or setting up for the next, and they usually show appreciation for the entertainment.

 

One time the manager came up and said that unless I could show him a union card, I had to quit.

 

I suppose a good forgery would have been cheaper & done the trick!

 

I suppose unions are kinda like women: can't live with 'em, can't shoot 'em. (Or should I say, "significant others of the preferred sex" to be politically correct?) Like Woody Allen said, they're irrational and cause all kinds of toruble, but we need the eggs.

[iLaw]

I carried a union card from 1968-1980. In fact somewhere in a box I believe I still have my first union members' directory (which also has a high school guitar player named Dan Fogelberg!). In all of those years I never felt that the union did me the slightest bit of good. My strongest impression at the time was that they were a bunch of former musicians who paid themselves a salary with the money they collected off of my gig.

 

It has colored my opinion of unions for the rest of my life.

 

Larry.

[DafDuc]

They were a good place to get equipment insurance. But once I stopped playing for a living, that wasn't worth the $$$ anymore. I kept up my membership just in case a union gig came my way - but over the years I've paid $4K+ in dues, and the only union gigs I got were ones I booked myself.

 

Daf

[cnegrad]

Bottom line: To take certain kinds of gigs (broadway, hotels), union membership is sometimes a necessity. Other than that, it's a complete waste of time. The benefits suck, and most employers use the union's "minimum wage" guidelines as a maximum. I quit years ago and never looked back. Mostly, they're extortionists. In NYC, if a non-union band plays at a union-affiliated hotel, you know what the union does? The inflate an eight foot tall giant RAT directly in front of the hotel, and put up signs protesting the hotel's hiring of non-union musicians. They're criminal, period.

[Sven Golly]

Without my union membership, I am unable to get a P2 work visa to play across the border.

 

Outside of that, the only saving grace is that my membership fees are a tax deduction.

[kanker.]

Here in Indianapolis, we have Local #3 (yes, that's right, #3!), and were it not for the Symphony Orchestra, they would not exist.

[Prague]

Originally posted by kevank:

Here in Indianapolis, we have Local #3 (yes, that's right, #3!), and were it not for the Symphony Orchestra, they would not exist.

This is what's so funny! Rock musicians outnumber the orchestral players by, what, 10 to 1? Yet, they can't seem to figure out how to utlize a simple union.

 

Yet again it's even funnier watching them think they could run the world in the political forum when it was here (thank God that's gone!).

 

Along with everything else, the union used to be involved in a setup that weeded out the lousy bands. Now, every wannabe with $5 can take the stage.

[Loufrance]

Originally posted by iLaw:

My strongest impression at the time was that they were a bunch of former musicians who paid themselves a salary with the money they collected off of my gig.

LOL!

Originally posted by Prague: Along with everything else, the union used to be involved in a setup that weeded out the lousy bands. Now, every wannabe with $5 can take the stage.

I have $5 where can I sign up at?

[BluesKeys]

Quote Learjeff

I suppose unions are kinda like women: can't live with 'em, can't shoot 'em. (Or should I say, "significant others of the preferred sex" to be politically correct?) Like Woody Allen said, they're irrational and cause all kinds of toruble, but we need the eggs.

--------------------------------------------------

"Other than the fact they are emotional, irrational, and unaccountable, I like women just fine." TV's Craig Furgeson from the Late Late Show I think.

 

Sorry didn't mean to hijack the thread. I thought it was funny.

[burningbusch]

I was in the union in the 1970s in Minneapolis in order to do session work.

 

I've hired people for studio work and if they want to work for union wages, that's fine with me. The smart ones (usually the good ones) will price themselves significantly above scale.

 

I'm glad the union is essential non-existent. They would just f#@K up clubs.

 

Busch.