Author Archives: Rank and File

SAG-AFTRA Film/TV Agreement with AMPTP

RMA congratulates SAG-AFTRA on reaching tentative agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers for a successor contract covering film, television and new media. The 3 year Agreement includes wage raises, increased residuals for some areas of tv and video on demand, as well as other improvements. Please read the SAG-AFTRA news release at www.sagaftra.org/message-ken-howard-and-david-white.

The Hollywood Reporter article about the Agreement may be read here: www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/new-sag-aftra-deal-builds-716803.

The L.A. Times reports here: www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-sag-aftra-contract-20140701-story.html

SAG-AFTRA represents more than 160,000 actors, announcers, broadcasters journalists, dancers, DJs, news writers, news editors, program hosts, puppeteers, recording artists, singers, stunt performers, voiceover artists and other media professionals. SAG-AFTRA members are the faces and voices that entertain and inform America and the world. With national offices in Los Angeles and New York, and local offices nationwide, SAG-AFTRA members work together to secure the strongest protections for media artists into the 21st century and beyond.

AFM’s Listen Up! Campaign and Lionsgate Entertainment

Listen Up! is a nationwide campaign led by rank-and-file musicians who are members of the American Federation of Musicians, AFL-CIO. Musicians perform the music that is the soul of a film; the musical score speaks a universal language. We are taking on the entertainment industry to stop the offshoring of film and television music scoring, and to ensure musicians’ work is valued by all companies at the same professional standard as other cast and crew. The public campaign begins with a focus on Lionsgate Entertainment, a major TV and film production company and an entertainment industry leader.

Stand With Us!
Lionsgate Entertainment has produced some of the biggest films, including Twilight and the Hunger Games, over the past few years. But instead of trying to be a good leader in the industry, Lionsgate has decided to maximize its profits by sending musicians’ jobs overseas.

That’s why musicians are speaking out all over the country, telling the company to “Listen Up!” Lionsgate must do better.

Sign the Petition! to tell Lionsgate to stop offshoring musicians’ jobs and uphold accepted industry standards and guarantee proper wages and working conditions for musicians on all of its productions.

Motion Picture and Television Film negotiations update

Dear Colleagues,

Negotiations between the American Federation of Musicians and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers resumed in the last week of August, 2013. Discussions were held in caucus (each side separately and privately amongst themselves), in sidebar (a small group of representatives from each side in a small room), and across the table.

We did not conclude an Agreement, and the next round is currently being scheduled. We will keep you posted with information as soon as it becomes available.

Marc Sazer
President, RMA

Support the Musicians of the Minnesota Orchestra

Dear Colleagues,

Please take just a moment to support the Musicians of the Minnesota Orchestra.

Follow the link, tinyurl.com/a2z3fwf, and add your voice to the growing chorus of supporters saying – enough is enough!

AFM President Ray Hair gave a ground-breaking speech about the Musicians of the Minnesota Orchestra at a solidarity concert presented by the musicians of the San Francisco Symphony, which can be seen and heard at youtu.be/yFT1WPPPDXo.

Please join musicians and their friends everwhere in sending a firm message. End the lockout. End the attack on the livelihoods, the families, the health care and pensions of these world class musicians. Your support will just take a moment. Follow the link now.

Thank you for your support of our friends and colleagues.

Marc Sazer
President, RMA

RMA General Conference 2013

The Recording Musicians Association held it’s biennial General Conference over the first two days of March, 2013. This year, the Conference took place in Los Angeles, generously hosted by Professional Musicians Local 47. This year, 2013, was the 30th Anniversary of the founding of RMA in 1983. Continue reading

RMA Presents: The Unions of the Entertainment Industry

On Saturday, March 2 2013, RMA sponsored a panel on Organizing Employment: Working in the Entertainment Industry. The event featured an all-star cast of union professionals: SAG-AFTRA Assistant National Executive Directorof Sound Recordings Randy Himes, Teamsters Local 399 Business Agent and Organizer Steve Dayan, Writers Guild of America West Lead Organizer Melodie Shaw and our own AFM President Ray Hair. Continue reading

RMA 30th Anniversary General Conference

The Recording Musicians Association will be holding it’s General Conference on Friday, March 1 and Saturday, March 2, in the auditorium of Professional Musicians Local 47 in Los Angeles. The RMA was incorporated in 1983, making 2013 the 30th Anniversary of our founding.

The Conference will culminate on Saturday afternoon with a panel on organizing in the Entertainment Industry with representatives of our sister unions and guilds, SAG-AFTRA, WGA, IATSE, the Teamsters and the AFM.

Residuals and Royalties for Musicians and Others

Dear members, friends and colleagues,

In the current (January 2013) edition of the International Musician, the official journal of the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada, President Ray Hair has written an important column about residuals, royalties and intellectual property rights for musicians. All AFM members should take a look. Continue reading