Membership Dues Reminder:
Membership dues are payable by the end of each quarter. Late payments will be assessed a $5 late charge. For dues rate info click here.

FIRST QUARTER: January 1st to March 31st

SECOND QUARTER: April 1st to June 30th

THIRD QUARTER: July 1st to September 30th

FOURTH QUARTER: October 1st to December 31st

Band Discount for Self-Contained Bands

A bylaw change at the 2007 AFM Convention allows local unions the option of offering a discount when self-contained bands or musical groups of two or more musicians join the union at the same time. Subsequently, a policy offering this discount was approved by the
Local 6 Board of Directors.

To take advantage of this special group rate at Local 6, band members must apply together and must pay their first two quarters' dues, for a total of $100. Initiation fees for both Local 6 and the AFM are waived, providing a savings of $175 per member. Because the discount is valid only one time per group, it is important that the band members remain in good standing by continuing to pay their quarterly dues. Musicians can download membership applications at our website (www.afm6.org) and have the option of paying by credit card using PayPal.

Benefits of membership include: a listing in the Local 6 membership directory, self-pay group health and dental insurance (with guaranteed acceptance), low cost instrument/equipment and liability insurance, rehearsal space at a reasonable rate, career advice, a presence on our online referral service site, a low cost website through the AFM’s Go Pro program, numerous benefits through the Union Plus Program, and much more.

Spread the word – bands that join together save together. For more information, call the office, or visit
www.afm6.org and click on Join the Union.

The Musical Instrument Drive

The San Francisco Chapter of the recording academy has launched a musical instrument drive. In this deep recession, the first victims of slashed budgets are always the music programs in the schools. We are attempting to fill the breach by soliciting donations of musical instruments and musical supplies to put them into the hands of underserved children. We have identified schools and institutions in dire need to help supply them with what they so desperately need.

Please donate anything that works well including instruments, strings, amps, mics , cords, drum heads or money. The instruments should be in decent playable condition and we don’t care about cosmetics. We are not yet set up for any repairs.

Your donation will be tax deductible.

Please contact Andre Pessis at andrepes@aol.com

Thank you in advance for your generosity.

Andre Pessis –
San Francisco Chapter board Governor and ex – president.
Chairman of the Musical Instrument drive

The latest Local 6 Membership Directory (January 2009 - published every two years) is available at the office. Members can drop by to pick up a free copy, or send in $2.00 to receive one by mail.

++New++ AFM Joint Venture Agreement (Non-Symphonic)

For the first time ever musicians can now have their recordings protected through an AFM-approved Joint Venture Agreement. An exemption to Local and Federation recording scales, pension, and reporting bylaws shall be granted for recording projects when the following criteria are met:

1. Afm members on the date are self-producing or collaborating in self production, not providing a service for hire, and are in creative control over the material and the recording process;
2. There is no employer;
3. The purpose of the recording is to produce a demo to obtain work for live performing and/or the purpose of the recording is to produce a product for sale and the proceeds from sales exclusively benefit band members.

Here are the steps necessary for completion of the agreement:

1. The artist/group states where and when the recording was made and the song titles and lengths;
2. The leader and each musician in the group provide their contact information and addresses and state what percentage of ownership that they have;
3. Finally, the Local Officer provides the Local's address and contact information and then signs the top portion of the agreement.

Call the office if you would like to use this agreement (415) 575-0777.

RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE US NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE ACT
(HR 676)

WHEREAS everyone deserves access to affordable quality health care; and
WHEREAS the number of Americans without health insurance now exceeds 47 million; and
WHEREAS many musicians, and others connected with the arts, are self-employed, with no access to employer paid healthcare; and
WHEREAS many of these same individuals cannot obtain healthcare, affordable or otherwise, on their own; and
WHEREAS millions with insurance have coverage so inadequate that a major illness would lead to financial ruin, and medical illness and bills contribute to one-half of all bankruptcies; and
WHEREAS proposals for “consumer directed health care” would worsen this situation by penalizing the sick, discouraging prevention and saddling many working families with huge medical bills; and
WHEREAS managed care and other market-based reforms have failed to contain health care costs; and
WHEREAS administrative waste stemming from our reliance on private insurers consumes one-third of health spending; and
WHEREAS U.S. hospitals spend 24.3% of their budgets on billing and administration while hospitals under Canada’s single payer system spend only 12.9%; and
WHEREAS American physicians are inundated with bureaucratic tasks and costs that Canadian physicians avoid; and
WHEREAS Harvard researchers estimated that more than $300 billion could be recovered by replacing private insurance companies with a single public payer, enough to cover the uninsured and to improve coverage for all those who now have only partial coverage; and
WHEREAS “consumer directed health care” adds yet another expensive layer of bureaucrats —
the financial firms that manage health savings accounts; and
WHEREAS entrusting care to profit-oriented firms diverts billions of dollars to outrageous incomes for CEOs and threatens the quality of care; and
WHEREAS The US National Health Insurance Act which would assure universal coverage of all medically necessary services, contain costs by slashing bureaucracy, protect the doctor patient relationship, assure patients a completely free choice of doctors, and allow physicians a free choice of practice settings;
NOW THEREFORE
BE IT RESOLVED that the Musicians Union Local 6, AFM, located in San Francisco, California, expresses its support for The US National Health Insurance Act (HR 676) and calls upon federal legislators to work towards its enactment within the current Congress.

(Adopted at Local 6 Board Meeting of 7/24/08)

For more information on single-payer health insurance, visit:
www.pnhp.org
www.singlepayernow.net
www.GuaranteedHealthcare.org/blog

'Save My Home' Hotline Helps
Union Families Avoid Foreclosures

According to a new national survey, nearly half of homeowners with adjustable rate mortgages admit that they do not know how their mortgages adjust or reset, and nearly three- quarters do not know how much their monthly mortgage payments will increase when they do. Additionally, 40 percent of those polled say they wouldn't know where to go for help if they had difficulty paying their mortgage.

To help conquer this problem, the National AFL-CIO has partnered with Union Privilege to launch the 'Save My Home' Hotline. The hotline is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and provides union members and their families with expert advice from the counselors at Money Management International, a nonprofit, HUD-certified housing counseling agency.

For free, confidential advice or to set up a face-to-face appointment, call the 'Save My Home' Hotline at 1-866-490-5361.

MENTORING OPPORTUNITY

The Association of Instructors of Music (AIM), a service organization of music teachers employed by the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD), in conjunction with Local 6 has developed a program for seasoned musicians who wish to volunteer to be mentors in the San Francisco Public Schools. These woodwind, brass, percussion, or string players would attend band or orchestra classes, get to know the students, and play along as a member of the ensemble. No specialized teaching skills are required. The students in SFUSD orchestras and jazz ensembles would benefit by having your positive example of playing to emulate. Mentors can contribute as much or as little time to the mentorship program as they wish, but, times being what they are, everyone who volunteers in the SFUSD schools is required to be fingerprinted by the school district at no charge to the volunteer. If you would like to get in touch with what is happening musically in our elementary, middle, or high schools in this way, please contact:

Richard Frazier (Local 6 member)
415.334.2787
frazier7747@comcast.net

Get The Musical News in PDF!

If you are a Local 6 member and would like to receive the newsletter by email (in PDF file format), please contact the Local 6 office. The Musical News, published bi-monthly, is the official newsletter of the Musicians Union Local 6. Any notice appearing in the newsletter shall be considered to be an official notice to the membership.

Musicians Needed For Concert Band

Local 6 member Hank Niebolt is looking for professional quality musicians to play in his concert band, the Serramonte Winds. In particular, he needs more players to fill in section chairs, especially clarinets and percussion. Hank uses music from his extensive library of challenging and interesting works. No concerts are given, and the emphasis is on enjoying the music and making new friends from all over the Bay Area. The group rehearses on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month, fromt 6:30 - 9:30 p.m., at 699 Serramonte Blvd. in Daly City (2 blocks west of Serramonte Shopping Center). If interested, give Hank a call at (650) 992-3911.

For your information and convenience, here is a list of websites which offer insights and opportunities to effect change in our state's arts-related legislation:

California Legislative Information Official Site
Find the status of a bill. Find the name and contact information for your legislator.
www.leginfo.ca.gov

California Arts Advocates
Legislation watch page to check on bills of interest to arts organizations.
www.californiaartsadvocates.org

CAPWIZ
Manage information, communications, and contacts with elected officials in one online system and translate that knowledge into results Communicate with legislators about issues related to the arts.
www.capwiz.com

The National Anthem Project
Restoring America's voice...through music education!
Information about the MENC's National Anthem Project.
www.thenationalanthemproject.org

American Arts Alliance
Support increased federal funding for the arts.
www.americanartsalliance.org

Americans For The Arts
Support increased federal funding for the arts.
www.americansforthearts.org