Contracts

Summary

Local 802 has over 70 union contracts that cover work with individual ensembles and employers, as well as with entire portions of the music industry. These contracts provide musicians with the fair wages, health and pension contributions, and workplace and employee protections necessary to ensure that musicians can afford to live and raise a family by doing what they do best — make music.

Local 802 makes some scales available to the public on this page, like our classical rates, orchestration rates, and the AFM’s national recording rates. Some other scales are available only to members via the Local 802 membership portal. For scales not listed, send an e-mail to the appropriate Local 802 union rep.

Contact info

Please contact Karen Fisher with any questions or start at Local 802’s staff list.

Musicians who work and perform with many of New York City’s most prominent orchestras and ensembles are guaranteed a union contract that pays fair wages, health and pension contributions under the Single Engagement Club Date Agreement.

Downloads

Signatory Employers

Ensembles that historically utilized this agreement have included:

  • Alex Donner Orchestras
  • Cliff Hanger Records
  • DeVaron Enterprises
  • Do Demarco Orchestra
  • Element Music LLC
  • Entertainment Partners
  • Gerard Carelli Orchestra
  • Hank Lane Music
  • Jerry Kravat Orchestra
  • John Oddo Music Inc.
  • Let’s Dance Music
  • Manhattan Swing
  • Michael Carney Music
  • NYC Swing
  • New York Swing LP
  • MP Inc
  • Peter Duchin Orchestra
  • Spencer Bruno
  • Starlight Orchestras
  • Team Music

Questions? Start at Local 802’s staff list.

The LS-1 contract page has moved to https://www.local802afm.org/contracts/ls-1/

Local 802 has an agreement with multiple theaters on Long Island. These theaters include:

  • Live Nation at Westbury Music Fair
  • Engemen Theater
  • Gateway Theater
  • Bay Street

Broadway, Off Broadway and other theater agreements are available to members only at Local 802’s membership portal.

Questions? Start at Local 802’s staff list.

Musicians who regularly perform at hotels have access to Local 802’s hotel contract. Hotels historically under a Local 802 agreement have included:

  • Carlyle
  • Plaza
  • Pierre
  • Peninsula
  • Waldorf
  • St. Regis

The hotel contract and rate sheet are available to members only. Questions? Start at Local 802’s staff list.

Musicians who perform in regular religious or spiritual services have access to this contract. Institutions with an agreement have included:

  • Durbeya Presbyterian Church
  • Old First Reform Church

Questions? Start at Local 802’s staff list.

Downloads

  • General Price List (PDF)
  • Music Preparation Contract Template (PDF RTF)
  • Music Preparation Invoice Template (PDF XLS)
  • Scale Sheet: Orchestration of Motion Picture/TV Film (PDF)
  • Orchestration of GPL/Broadway/Live TV/ Videotape/Cable/Non Std TV/PBS/SR/TV & Radio Commercials (PDF)
  • Scale Sheet: Commercial Announcements Agreement Music Preparation (PDF)
  • Scale Sheets for Music Preparation (available to members only at the Local 802 membership portal under Scale Sheets > Music Preparation Scales)
  • AFM-EPF Participation Agreement (PDF)

Contact

Send an e-mail to Steve Danenberg or call (212) 245-4802 and ask for the Recording Department.

Musicians who work in studios, or are doing recording, commercial, film, radio or television work often utilize these contracts.

Forms and Contracts

Forms are listed first. For contracts and wage scales, scroll to bottom of page. Questions? Start at Local 802’s staff list.

B-4 Phonograph Records

The B-4 report form covers all work done for commercial album releases which are eligible for Special Payments (i.e. those that press more copies than recordings covered under the Local 802 Limited Pressing Agreement.) In addition, it covers motion picture soundtrack releases and video promos.

B-5 Demonstration Recording

The B-5 report form covers all studio work for recordings designed to demonstrate a musical selection or performance and is not intended to be made publicly available or broadcast. The use of this form requires a special agreement between the Producer and Local 802.

B-6 Commercial Announcements

The B-6 report form covers all work done for music used in commercial announcements, whether they be intended for television, radio, Internet, or non-broadcast use (movie theaters, sports arena, and kiosks).

B-7 Film, Industrial, and Miscellaneous

The B-7 report form covers a wide variety of recording media, including theatrical motion picture, television films, industrial films, incidental music recorded for use in theatrical performances, and any other miscellaneous type of recording that may not be appropriate for one of the other forms.

B-8 Television

The B-8 report form covers recordings, both live and taped, for use on television, including network television, basic cable, PBS, and pay-television such as HBO. It does not cover television programs which utilize underscoring, such as prime-time dramas, which would be considered television film (and thus filed on a B-7.)

B-9 Limited Pressing

The B-9 report form covers commercial album releases which do not intend to press enough copies to qualify for Special Payments (10,000 units.) The use of this form requires a special agreement between the Producer and Local 802. If a limited pressing were to surpass the threshold for Special Payments, an upgrade to Sound Recording scale and the filing of a B-4 report form would be required.

B-10 Radio

The B-10 report form covers all recordings and performances intended for distribution on radio, whether commercial, nationally syndicated, public, or local.

Wage Scales & Agreements

Local 802 provides copies of the AFM scales below as a courtesy. The most up-to-date version of these scales appear at the bottom of the AFM’s Recording & Digital Media page.

Motion Picture & TV

These scales cover wages, benefits, and terms for scoring for theatrical motion picture and television film, including low budget rates for both. In addition, there are scales for sidelining (musicians hired to mime the performance of instruments on camera) under both contracts.
View wage scale summary

Industrial Films

Industrial films cover scoring for non-broadcast, non-television films, such as videos made for trade shows not intended to be broadcast outside of one specific usage.
View wage scale summary

TV & Video

These scales cover wages and benefits for live television performances, award shows, and specials, as well as taped performances that air as-live, such as late night talk shows. These terms cover both the house bands on these types of programming as well as any guest bands that may be contracted to perform on a specific episode.
View wage scale summary

Basic Cable

Similar to the live television agreement, the basic cable agreement covers live and pre-recorded television programming that airs on basic cable television.
View wage scale summary

Sound Recording

These scales cover wages and benefits for commercially sold album tracks. In addition, there are low budget rates and special session rates available for certain circumstances.
View wage scale summary

Commercial Announcements

These terms cover the wages and benefits for original sessions for the recording of music to be used in commercial announcements, as well as the various residual fees that are paid for continued usage of those commercial spots.
View wage scale summary

National Public Radio

These terms cover wages and benefits for live and studio performances recorded for broadcast on NPR.
View wage scale summary

National Public Television

These wages and benefits cover recordings produced for Public Television, which consists of two payment structures based upon how the program is intended to be aired by PBS.
View wage scale summary

Video Games

These terms cover scoring sessions for video games and interactive media.
View wage scale summary

Contact

Questions? Start at Local 802’s staff list.