[Fmpro] AFM Union Threatens $50k Fines Against Composers and other AFM Members for Seattle Recording

[robertf-lists@theremin-saw.com]

Quoting Les Hurdle <leshurdle101 at sbcglobal.net>:

>
> On Aug 16, 2006, at 2:44 PM, robertf-lists at theremin-saw.com wrote:
>
>> I agree it would be interesting to know what the Seattle Local thinks,
>> but they
>> are a branch of the national AFM, too.  So they have to go by the
>> national AFM
>> rules/regulations/by-laws as well as any of their own local by-laws.

> I'm an ex Limey who came from a Union which did nothing but 'steal'
> from members........ but surely, a businessman has the right to conduct
> business wherever he wants in the USA?
>
> Er hum.... Freedom or something.....isn't that the cry?
>
> Without knowing all the facts, if a movie is made in Seattle with
> Seattle money etc....... does the music have to be recorded in LA?
>

Hopefully someone from Seattle is on this list.  Phil Kelly, aren't you in the
Seattle area?  Come in, Phil....

The location (i.e., which state) of the recording doesn't matter as 
long as the
contract and pay scale is in place.  The point of contention is that the
national AFM is saying the recording has to be done under a Union 
contract with
Union musicians.  So they are saying that if recorded in Seattle, then Seattle
AFM musicians must do it under the Contract, i.e., with the specified 
recording
scales.  Of course, this would decrease the reason for going to Seattle to
record in the first place.  So the net effect might be to keep more recording
in L.A.  But there is no requirement to record in L.A.  It can be done in
Nashville, Austin, NYC, Seattle, wherever under a Union contract if using AFM
musicians.

Confusing the issue are the so-called "right-to-work" states, like Texas,
Florida, Tennessee, Nevada, Virginia, etc. (about half of the states.)  In
these states you can't be required to join a union to work in a specific
industry.  Seattle is in Washington, which is not a right-to-work state but is
a forced-union state like California, Oregon, Illinois, and all of the
Northeast.

I live in Texas and I know some film scores have been recorded in 
Austin, but I
don't know if the musicians were union under a union contract, a mix of union
and non-union without a union contract, or what.

Regards,

Robert Froehner