I think I can figure out where they came up with those numbers, if you really want to know…

10-12% of the AFM are full-time musicians - that’s probably an estimate, but the AFM has always been made up primarily of people who don’t make the bulk of their living playing. See George Seltzer’s history of the AFM.

The work dues proportion probably includes 2% on the $85 million, which you didn’t include in your numbers. $2.15 million + $1.7 million = $3.8 million versus $1.96 million from symphonic work. That’s combining the proportions from 2002 with the dues numbers from 2006 and the $85 million from this year, but the proportions are roughly what RMA says.

I don’t know if that’s how they came up with it, or what the numbers are today, but that’s the simplest explanation based on the numbers you’ve given me. Why don’t you ask RMA to provide the numbers to back up their assertion?

Pete Vriesenga :
At best, only 10-12% of the Federation’s total membership are working professionals. These musicians pay millions of dollars in work dues to the AFM and fund the lions share of the financial costs for the entire Federation bureaucracy. At each of the last several conventions, recording musicians, again most of whom are RMA members, were tapped for more and more money and are now paying about twice as much in per capita work dues as any other AFM members including the 1000 or so full time ICSOM symphony orchestra players who earn in excess of $100,000 annually.

Google keywords such as RMA + AFM, dues, working musicians, and you’ll be directed to hundreds of these claims. I just did that myself and just came up with the following: The AFM vs Entertainment Unions, RMA, Phil Ayling and Recording Musicians - A Manifesto

I encourage you to read the full Manifesto, but in context of this discussion, the following comments are simply untrue: At best, only 10-12% of the Federation’s total membership are working professionals. These musicians pay millions of dollars in work dues to the AFM and fund the lions share of the financial costs for the entire Federation bureaucracy. At each of the last several conventions, recording musicians, again most of whom are RMA members, were tapped for more and more money and are now paying about twice as much in per capita work dues as any other AFM members including the 1000 or so full time ICSOM symphony orchestra players who earn in excess of $100,000 annually.

I ask that you please take out your calculator once again, and help me through this. How does anyone come up with these numbers?

Pete

I’m not advocating DIDO; I’m simply suggesting that the recording work seems to be cover the expenses of the EMSD with work dues. Of course, all members also pay per capita dues which should cover the general administration of the AFM and each recording musician is paying the same share of that as any other member is.

What I gather from your response is that the general administration expenses are significantly more than per capita dues can cover. Therefore, the burden of paying for general administrative expenses is being distributed unequally.

Hello Henry,
You’re suggesting that recording musicians should expect a dollar in for a dollar out, or specifically $2.15 million for $2.1 million to run EMSD. You’re also suggesting that recording musicians bear little or no responsibility for the $7.9 million balance of the combined AFM budget. Neither makes for a strong labor union.

If symphonic musicians received a dollar in services for every dollar in work dues, SSD’s budget would increase to $2 million. Unfortunately, SSD’s budget is only $700,000, so it’s evident that $1.3 million of symphonic work dues are applied to other AFM union functions (including EMSD).

It’s estimated that 80% of the AFM membership are freelance musicians. I don’t have the budget figures for the relatively-new Freelance Services Division, but I’m sure it’s under $100,000. With over $5 million annually coming from annual dues, freelance musicians are obviously funding the largest share of the AFM budget as measured in what they expect in return. Without this lion share subsidy of the general fund, the AFM’s $10 million budget (including $2.1 million for EMSD and $2 million for SSD) would collapse.

I look forward to your comments,
Pete

Pete-

I’m not sure I take your point on the EM department being subsidized by the rest of the AFM. You say that 47% of the $4,564,360 in total work dues comes from Electronic media - that’s $2.15 million according to my calculator. You go on to say that 21% of the AFM’s approximately $10 million expense budget is spent on EMSD. Well, isn’t that $2.1 million? What am I missing?

More importantly, winning this campaign will require thousands of letters from union members, family and friends. Please, sit down with them and take a moment to put your thoughts on paper. Time is of the essence!

May 6, 2009

Senator Michael Bennet
2300 15 St., Suite 450
Denver, CO 80202

Dear Senator Bennet,

Never in my lifetime has there been such an urgent need to stop the decline of the middle class. The American Dream has been eroded by increasing, needless poverty as millions who only ask for a fair paycheck are relegated to the ranks of the working poor. Our belief in an honest wage for an honest days work has been quashed as bankers and CEO’s are rewarded for failure.

Labor unions are the only democratic forums that provide checks and balances against this injustice, but they have been weakened by decades of anti-union legislation. The Employee Free Choice Act will be the first piece of legislation to turn this downward trend by ensuring that employees have the democratic right to choose union representation.

You elect to represent our interests in the United States Senate, but fail to see the importance of this issue among your own constituents. The Colorado Democratic Party unanimously adopted a resolution encouraging the support and passage of the Employee Free Choice Act. They are the citizens whom you represent – not corporate lobbyists.who are presently winning your support.

Sincerely,

Pete Vriesenga,
President, Denver Musicians Association

Also, our Colorado governer Bill Ritter is showing his anti-union colors in threatening to not allow our firefighters, who risk their lives for all of us, to organize. What kind of Democrat or democrat is that?

Please, to all who are reading this blog, write that letter or make that phone call to our representatives and make them take a position and make them vote the right way, the way that supports and honors the working American!