Member Feedback

I would like to address the double standard that exists in the recording community. Everyone who does recording sessions with me knows that, for the last 35 years, I have always paid the appropriate pension benefits. Some of you who are receiving monthly pension checks now can attest to this, as will some of you who will be receiving them in the future. Some musicians have even approached me about doing recordings with me so they could participate, not only in the pension fund, but also in special payments and reuse benefits. I am not doing anything extraordinary, this is the way it is supposed to be if you are a federation member.

It has always astonished me that some musicians who expect me to adhere to the union rules think nothing of accepting non-union recording sessions (dark dates), sometimes with a competitor of mine. Why do some of you even bother to belong to the union? Why do some individuals and companies offer lower wages and no benefits to musicians? That�s easy to answer. They know you�ll go for it. Doesn�t anyone know how to say NO? You can�t have it both ways. It should be all, or nothing at all. You can�t be union only when it�s convenient. I�m not pointing any fingers, you all know who you are.

I suppose I could resign from the union, relinquish all of my signatory agreements, start paying cash for services rendered, and be just another Yahoo. However, having been a union member for 45 years, I�m not going to finish my career like that. I have too much pride as a professional to ever go that route.

I am only asking that as professional union musicians, we conduct ourselves accordingly.

If anyone cares to respond to this letter, you can do it through the Local or at my email address, calicomike[at]aol[dot]com. Thanks for your time.

Mike Lewis