As for the Unions...
As a member of the American Federation of Musicians (AFM), I will say that I am truly thankful for the scale (wages), benefits and safeguards that the powers-that-be have been able to work out on my behalf. And from my experience in the DC area, the DC Local has been more than willing to work out special arrangements and deals for various organizations and theatres. Even "tiny" Signature Theatre has been under a union contract since their third of fourth season. Yes, the scale at Signature is no where near what the "big guys" in town pay, but it is a smaller theatre, with a lower top ticket price, and they're on an Equity SPT (Small Professional Theatre) contract. In short, their "scale" is in scale according to the theatre's overall size. And since it is under a union contract, I have been able to make contributions to my pension whenever I've worked there.
However, sometimes I feel the Locals actually have too much "power". And, actually, I feel all the unions have this problem to an extent. Yes, accomodations do have to be made according to the local economics, but I don't think economics should really affect things such as break times, minimum hours, and amount of personnel required.
From personal experience, I will say I felt a little uncomfortable and "guilty" when I played
Aida at the Kennedy Center two years ago. The orchestration for that show required three keyboard players and one guitarist (at least for the road "book") in addition to the rest of the pit. They travelled with three keyboard players and one guitar player. Well, due to the CBA that the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra had worked out, a certain amount of local players had to be hired for the run at the Kennedy Center. As it turned out, the guitarist who had been on tour with the show ended up getting laid off for the two months the show was in DC, and they hired two guitar players in his place. And I, in turn, ended up replacing the third keyboard player on the tour for the two months in DC. The third keyboard player was also laid off for those two months. Additionally, two other keyboard players, locals, were hired as "floating subs" who were paid a full week's scale regardless of whether or not they got called in to play during a particular week for the length of the run. -And since both players did learn the books they were to cover, they weren't true "walkers" since there were "on-call". And, in fact, both floating subs did play a few times during the run. But, again, they were paid a full week's scale regardless of how many performances they played in a particular week, or even if they played none. -However, sometimes someone is called in to be the "local sub", and then it truly is a pay-as-you-play arrangement. But that's another story...
All in all, the addition of the second guitar player actually helped the overall sound of the show - and it actually made the guitar "book" easier in the sense that the guitar player wasn't juggling so many different guitars (acoustic, 12-string, electric) since the duties were now split - and actually augmented for the parts. -And both guitarists were still left with a lot of notes to play.
But did we really need to have two floating subs? Did I really need to displace someone who was travelling with the show for over a year at that time? Did the theatre really need to require that a certain number of people be hired regardless of the type of show coming in to the venue?
It's all about minimums. And in this case, local minimums. I won't get into all the arguments for and against "minimums" - at least in regards to my "brothers" up north on Broadway - but I just have to wonder what exactly is the "power" of the National office if the Locals can basically take an "overall" agreement and customize and nickel-and-dime it to death. The touring musicians were under the standard Touring "Pamphlet" - a national agreement. But that Pamphlet can be - and was - over-ridden according to the Local's own requirements. And there's usually no room for negotiation - even though there would seem to plenty of time to work out something since tours are announced months in advance. Usually a year or more.
Don't get me wrong, I am thankful for the work I have gotten through the Union. Well, let me correct that statement, I am thankful for the Union work that my talent and perseverance has gotten me. The Union office is definitely no longer a clearing house of sorts - even though some local offices claim to be. -Again, that's another story...
I should also point at this time that membership in the AFM is truly "bought". Once you mail your initiation fee and first quarter's dues into your local office, you're a card-carrying member of the AFM. Yes, this does bring up issues of quality, but since most of the hiring - at least in my circle - is done through word of mouth (and getting to know the contractors) - the weaker players are usually found out and don't receive the "calls". However, that doesn't prevent a "good player" from becoming lazy and staying on due to tenure issues... -Again, that's another story...
My point after all of this semi-rambling...
As DR Pogue pointed out, the Union is only as strong as it's membership. And, unfortunately, there is no such thing as a "perfect" organization. We can only strive together as a group of musicians, as a groups of actors, as a groups of writers, as a group or technicians, to make sure our basic needs are met, and that there are safeguards in place to protect our work and our working environment.
And, again, as was pointed out by DR Pogue, well more like inferred*, there may be members in the Union - whichever Union they belong to - that may not agree with the current state of affairs of their Union. And, as my current post has indicated, I am one of those not in total accord with the current state of things. Does this mean I don't like being in the Union? No. Does this mean I don't think the Union serves a beneficial purpose? No.
*And if I have inferred incorrectly, DR Pogue, please feel free to correct me.
What it does mean is that I hope that all the "good" that the union has accomplished so far will continue to benefit me and every other member down the line. And that any further negotiation and "roadblocks" will be able to be worked out for the better for all parties involved.
For myself, work is work. Always has been, always will. Whether I'm playing in the pit of a Broadway tour, or accompanying a singer in some tiny cabaret space, it's the work that counts. It's the music.
Union or no Union, it's always the Music first. And one hopes that the Union know that too.
