Local 104 Resources links
- The AFM Multi-employer Pension Fund afm-epf.org Each member can register and log in to check the status of their account and use the calculator to look up how much your projected contributions have earned. This site has been of great benefit as the Pension Fund has a small staff with an enormous work load and turn-around time for questions was often several days.
- The national AFM website is at afm.org their contacts page is at www.afm.org/about/contact/
- Liability, Instrument and Equipment, Health insurance etc. If you register with the national AFM website you can review the various insurance products there. There are also Dental and medication discounts among other things.
- The AFM Local 104 website is at utahmusicians.org Our email is at afmslc@utahmusicians.org We also have a benefits page at Benefits: Local 104, AFM, Salt Lake City (afmquartet.org)
- Union Plus benefits website is at unionplus.org benefits guide at Union Plus Benefits Guide.pdf
- Casual Contracts and Recording contracts for freelance members can be obtained through the Local 104 office as well as a version that allows for members to contribute to their own pension plan. There are also recording contracts for the various uses let us know and we can assist you.
- The national AFM has Road Gig Assistance, to secure pay for the musicians from unscrupulous employers. The AFM pays the band and will pursue the matter with the employer in the local courts that have jurisdiction in that area or region.
- National and Local newsletters such as the International Musician at International Musician | Official Journal of the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada and the Call the office for a recent copy of the Segue.
- Collective Bargaining agreements or CBA’s. We negotiate contracts on behalf of our members that form collective bargaining agreements. To secure a standard of living for our members commensurate with other jobs and professions in the region. Local 104 is the exclusive collective bargaining agent for Utah Symphony Musicians and the Ballet West Orchestra. They provide the financial obligations for legal representation during collective bargaining, contract infractions, grievance and arbitration processes, as well as providing other services throughout the year to its members. The Symphony and Ballet Orchestra have an Orchestra Committee and act as official arms of the Local, representing the Union at the workplace and with management. Our musicians may act in other oversight capacities with duties spelled out in these contracts, but the final responsibility for administering our Collective Bargaining Agreement lies with Local 104.
- Local labor attorney Jon Axelrod is on retainer by Local 104.
- Work-place representation. Both the Utah Symphony and Ballet West Orchestra have Shop Stewards to facilitate communication and represent the interests of the employees.
- National and Local Recording Agreements – to insure and protect the recording work done by our members when negotiating with National and Local media.
- Legislation: The AFM also advocates pension reform, instruments and air travel standards, and many other things they have been successful at accomplishing. You may make contributions to union friendly candidates through the TEMP fund.
- You can contact our Local’s Secretary/Treasurer, Krista Baker — or Office Manager, David Sharp — during business hours at 801-972-1915 if you have any questions. Their office is located at 2261 South Redwood Road, Suite L, and Salt Lake City, UT, 84119. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 10 AM – 4 PM. It is preferable if you contact the office during the COVID period through phone or email: afmslc@utahmusicians.org You can also contact them (and conduct many transactions such as dues payments) through the Local’s website at http://utahmusicians.org/
- Our Executive Board and staff:
President Keith Carrick
Vice President Sally Humphreys
Secretary-Treasurer Krista Baker
Executive Board Members: Veronica Kulig, Julie Edwards, Emily Shumway, Cassie Olson, Kenny Hodges
Business Agent: David Sharp
Facebook pages of interest:
- https://www.facebook.com/musiciansutsym MOTUS FB page
- https://www.facebook.com/ICSOM Facebook’s ICSOM page
- https://www.facebook.com/afm104 Facebook page for Salt Lake’s Union Local
- https://www.facebook.com/afm.org?ref=ts&sk=wall American Federation of Musicians on Facebook
- https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000814406882 FB page for “AFM Matters” (from Ray Hair, President of the AFM)
- https://www.facebook.com/theorchestrainsider FB page for “The Orchestra Insider,” by Drew McManus
- https://www.facebook.com/americans4arts?sk=wall Americans for the Arts (National advocacy group)
Websites:
The website run by the Musicians of the Utah Symphony
International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians
- http://utahmusicians.org/ SLC Musicians’ Union, Local 104
- http://afm.org/ National Music Union HQ, NYC, N.Y.
- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-kaiser/ Michael Kaiser’s arts blog on Huffington Post
- http://www.adaptistration.com/ Arts Management Blog by Drew McManus
- http://www.artsjournal.com/slippeddisc/ Norman Lebrecht’s news blog on the performing arts world
- Remote learning Guide to Remote Distance Learning Music for students/Teachers (octaneseating.com)
Common Acronyms
MOTUS Musicians of the Utah Symphony
AFM American Federation of Musicians: Union representing thousands of professional musicians across the United States and Canada.
AFM-EP American Federation of Musicians-Employers Pension Fund: Defined benefit pension of which the USO contributes an amount equal to 8.5 – 9% of your annual gross compensation on your behalf for retirement.
CBA Collective Bargaining Agreement
IMA Integrated Media Agreement: New agreement covering all types of broadcast and recording media (except recording sessions for CDs) with updated rules governing musician compensation and Management usage. Negotiated jointly by managers, union officials and orchestra musicians nationwide, and to which orchestras become signatories on an individual basis.
ERISA Employee Retirement Income Security Act: Laws providing guidelines and restrictions regarding employer contributed pension and other retirement investment vehicles.
401-K Federal Tax identification for a retirement investment vehicle utilized by the
USO, and other non-profit (501-3c) organizations.
ICSOM International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians: Players Conference for U.S. major orchestras
LAO League of American Orchestras, also referred to as “The League”: National organization of symphony orchestra board members, executives, and management representatives.
OCSM Organization of Canadian Symphony Musicians: Players conference of Canadian orchestral musicians.
RMA Recording Musicians Association: Players Conference for recording musicians (w/membership largely in New York, Los Angeles and Nashville).
ROPA Regional Orchestra Players Association: Players conference of U.S. regional orchestral musicians.
SSD Symphonic Services Division: Offices within the headquarters of the AFM which serve to assist the needs of orchestras in areas of negotiation, media, legal opinions and other services.
TMA Theater Musicians Associations: Players Conference for Broadway pit musicians.
ZAP Zoo, Arts and Parks Tax. Local county sales tax (one tenth of 1%) approved by county election in the late 1990’s. The Symphony is the County’s largest recipient of Zap tax funds.
Call Local 104 if we can explain or help in any way with these benefits. It makes for a better work environment for all when we organize and help one another make our livings. On behalf of Local 104’s Executive Board and Officers we thank you for your membership.
In solidarity,
David Sharp
Business Agent
AFM, Local 104
801-972-1915
