[Fmpro] FMPRO Digest, Vol 38, Issue 21 -- Unionizing Composers

Mon Jun 16 17:54:08 GMT 2008

Well I think the energy always starts on a grass roots level. There  
must be a need, obviously, before moving forward, and the grassroots  
focuses the need. That fundamental grassroots movement is the original  
organization that gets a core base of people together and with that  
small group feeds somehow the union organizers that really go out and  
do it.

I don't think anyone who really has experience in  "union organizing"  
is expected to do "whatever is necessary" for a union to get off the  
ground for free. Unless they are self made millionaires how could they  
fly from here to there and keep their mortgage paid? Organizing a  
union isnt a weekend warrior task, it is a full time 52 week a year  
kind of job. I am certain when the time is right and we have some  
money organized we will find a good union organizer that is not super  
expensive who believes in the cause.

Right now we should be focused on defining what the collective issues  
and problems are, and creative ways of building solutions. Really if  
we have solidly defined all the problems and how, if we had the power  
of unity, we could change them, we will be able to with some elbow  
grease. And no, not baseball bats at the next ASCAP meeting, the Jimmy  
Hoffa days are long gone. But really new and never tried ways of  
creating solutions to the problems we face.

Christopher Kennedy Alpiar
Cinematic Composer
937.294.0900 (Dayton Studio)
310.339.9603 (Los Angeles)
877.294.0912 (Toll Free)
www.alpiar.com

On Jun 16, 2008, at 1:16 PM, JJB wrote:

>> a full-time PAID, professional union organizer
>
> Hmm, I thought union organizers were idealists, not mercenaries!
>
> I guess the 21st century MLK will be preaching about his paycheck
> instead of his dream... it is a new world!
>
> All cynicism aside, I'll be happy to join others in paying a monthly
> "unionization fee" if there is someone who has the ability to actually
> do the legwork and make something like this happen.
>
> I personally believe that anything other than a grass-roots organizing
> approach will probably create a top heavy organization with a self
> serving board of directors that ignores the needs of the membership.
>
> - Joel
>
>
>
> Gael MacGregor wrote:
>> Gents &amp; Ladies,
>>
>> Organizing a union takes professional organizers, a lot of time,  
>> and serious, methodical, unwavering &amp; persistent effort. I  
>> know. My hubby works for the union that represents the professional  
>> and technical employees throughout the UC university system -- the  
>> lab techs, the teachers' aides, the assistants, etc. who have been  
>> treated miserably throughout the years, and he deals with all the  
>> inherent trials, tribulations and difficulties daily.
>>
>> His take on creating a composer's union?
>>
>> At least one full year (perhaps more) with a full-time PAID,  
>> professional union organizer and at least one other PAID support  
>> person -- and a LOT of willing support and action from the  
>> composers -- not to mention a fearless attitude and being willing  
>> to stand up to the corporate powers-that-be and perhaps losing one  
>> of those MGM gigs being dangled as a bribe to stop your silly  
>> fooling around with those union agitators. You'd also likely want  
>> to piggy-back it with an existing union.
>>
>> An alternative? A guild (such as writers &amp; producers). This  
>> would still take a lot of time and effort and chutzpah.
>>
>> Perhaps those most committed to the idea of unionizing or  
>> organizing in some fashion should speak to Writers and/or Producers  
>> Guild folks to see exactly what is needed to spearhead such a  
>> drive, and what it'll take to ride that train to success. Talking  
>> with an existing entertainment union rep should also be on the  
>> agenda -- and one who really knows the history of the composers and  
>> previous organizing efforts -- and the reason(s) they failed.   
>> SOLIDARITY is key -- and efforts would require assistance &amp;  
>> support (both in principle and with $$$) from all the top composers  
>> as well as the mid-level and novices.
>>
>> Heck, the Russians have had some form of composers' union since  
>> 1932 -- it's changed over the years, but they've got one.  
>> Switzerland has a composers' union -- so do Greece, Latvia &amp;  
>> Lithuania, among many others. Many other countries, including the  
>> U.K., have guilds, associations, etc. where composers have come  
>> together. The U.S. is way behind the curve in this (then again, we  
>> haven't put together a way to ensure even minimum healthcare to all  
>> our citizens, even though less than 2% of our defense budget would  
>> do it in a single-payer system, so why am I not surprised?).
>>
>> Part of the reason composers do not have a union in the U.S. is  
>> that there have been previous failed attempt to organize. In  
>> today's anti-union climate, it's gonna take a lot more than a bunch  
>> of composers with an abstract idea about putting some sort of  
>> organization together -- but who have little time on their hands to  
>> do so because they're... well... COMPOSING. You're gonna need  
>> professional organizers who will need to be paid to do the work.
>>
>> Ah... there's the rub... who will pay to take the thought, organize  
>> it and bring it to fruition?
>>
>> Figure that out, and you could have yourself a union.
>>
>> Gael
>>
>> =================================
>>
>> Gael MacGregor
>>
>> Music Supervisor
>>
>> gaelmacgregor at yahoo.com
>>
>> =================================
>>
>> www.imdb.com/name/nm0532320
>>
>> =================================
>> Today's Topics:
>>
>>   1. question for Les (CORBERLAW at aol.com)
>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>> Message: 1
>> Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2008 16:46:55 EDT
>> From: CORBERLAW at aol.com
>> Subject: [Fmpro] question for Les
>> To: fmpro at nxport.com
>> Message-ID: &lt;c84.2b7b65fd.358436bf at aol.com&gt;
>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
>>
>> I have a question for my friend, Les Hurdle which I am asking openly.
>>
>> Why do composers feel that joining or creating an umbrella  
>> organization such
>> as a union is going to 1) provide them work and a living and 2)  
>> protect
>> their rights as a composer. Has any organization ever been created  
>> in the
>> last century that 1) guaranteed work and a living to composers of  
>> music or 2) in
>> fact, actually and actively and effectively protected composers'  
>> rights?
>>
>> I seem to recall that sometime within the last 3-4 years, a  
>> contributor to
>> the FMPro List advocated the creation of a composers' advocacy  
>> group. A
>> tentative meting was scheduled to discuss formation which took  
>> place nearby
>> that year's ASCAP "I create music" convention on Highland near  
>> Hollywood. 4 people
>> showed up: you, Mark Northam and 2 others.
>>
>> The organization never happened.
>>
>> The bigger question: you and I have been around for at least a few  
>> years
>> and we've seen people come and go who advocate action, sometimes   
>> very
>> loudly and sometimes day after day for a period of time. Then,  
>> when  the time comes
>> for action: has anything ever happened?
>>
>> I seem to remember one such instance a few years back when a  
>> contributor to
>> this list was very vocal in his call for action, but when the time  
>> came to
>> act, he admitted that either he had to take care of his ill wife  
>> or  he had
>> something else he needed to do and that that particular time was  
>> not good  for
>> him.
>>
>> So, you're a blunt man, if it's all talk and no action, why does   
>> this
>> history repeat itself?
>>
>> I'm not trying to assign blame for this, I'd just like to understand
>> the mentality of such things.
>>
>> Your friend,
>> PROTECT  YOUR RIGHTS
>> Brian Lee Corber
>> attorney at law
>> Los Angeles,  California
>> _corberlaw at aol.com_ (mailto:corberlaw at aol.com) corberlaw.com
>> 818-399-4735
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> The Film Music Pro List is sponsored by Film Music Magazine -  http://www.filmmusicmag.com
>>
>> Best of FMPRO: http://www.fmproquotes.com - Quotes site  by Billy  
>> Hale Music
>>
>> To edit your list options or unsubscribe, visit:
>> http://nxport.com/mailman/listinfo/fmpro
>>
>>
>>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> The Film Music Pro List is sponsored by Film Music Magazine -  http://www.filmmusicmag.com
>
> Best of FMPRO: http://www.fmproquotes.com - Quotes site  by Billy  
> Hale Music
>
> To edit your list options or unsubscribe, visit:
> http://nxport.com/mailman/listinfo/fmpro
>