Turning nonunion gigs into union ones is made possible by the willingness of members – you, dear reader – to care about retirement income, medical benefits and scale payments. It’s about seeing working union as the right way to work. To put it bluntly, when the union successfully turns a nonunion engagement into a union one, it’s because musicians want it to happen.

Each time we’re able to make a performance union, we’ll ask that all musicians on the gig – whether they’re already members of Local 802 or not – to sign a union representation card. The card is a legal document stating that the signer (i.e., you) wants Local 802 to represent the employees (i.e., you and your fellow musicians on the job) to bargain with the employer over the wages, hours and conditions of work for the job. The act of signing a card is also a statement that you are standing up for the respect every professional musician deserves when you go to work.

Check out the card at right (click for full size sample). Don’t be afraid to sign it every chance you get. When union market share expands, we all win. When the respect expands, we all win.

INTRODUCING 802 NOTES

Fast, efficient and good-looking: those are the themes of Local 802’s new e-mail bulletin 802 Notes. You may have already received several in the past month. 802 Notes will be e-mailed to members in between issues of Allegro to cover breaking stories and important updates. If you haven’t been receiving 802 Notes, send an e-mail to 802notes@local802afm.org. The bulletin is written by Local 802 staff and may contain early versions of Allegro stories. Organizing Director Joel LeFevre is producing the bulletin. For more information, call him at (212) 245-4802, ext. 197.