When the teaching artists of the Metropolitan Opera Guild unionized last year, I joined Local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians, the largest union local of professional musicians in the world. Suddenly, we former free-lance teaching artists were now eligible for health insurance, pension, and other benefits.
Personally, I had always thought of “Local 802” as a union for instrumentalists. Upon joining, however, I realized that Local 802 is an option for classical singers, too. As long you are a musician of some sort—singer, voice teacher, or spoon player (yes, “spoon player” is listed on the union roster)—you are eligible to join the union. Once you pay your dues and after the appropriate waiting periods, you are eligible for benefits you may not otherwise have as a freelancer.
Joining the union offers a number of advantages (benefits vary, depending on your local union’s rules). Health insurance is an important perk, although it comes with some requirements. Local 802 in New York offers two Magnacare plans that include basic health insurance (meaning no hospitalization), and doctor visits (for a $20 co-payment). To become eligible for Plan B, your union employer contributions must total at least $400 in six months. Eligibility for Plan A, a more comprehensive plan, requires minimum employer contributions of $1,075 within six months.
Once you are eligible for insurance, you can elect to pay for reasonably priced hospitalization coverage with Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield. Individual monthly HMO rates for Plan B are $302; for Plan A you pay just $156. Family plans are also available. Rates vary from state to state. Your local union should be able to provide you with more specific information.
How do you get contributions from a union employer if you’re not currently working for union employers? Your local can advise how your current employers can contribute to the union’s benefit plans on your behalf. If you are a voice teacher, you can have your students write a check directly to the union’s health plan for a portion of your hourly rate. If you have a church or temple job that does not offer benefits, ask the administration if it is willing to contribute. It requires a bit of assertiveness and record-keeping on your part, but depending on your circumstances, it may be worth the extra effort. Staff members at the union office are open, friendly, and willing to speak with you about your particular situation.
Alternately, if you intend to incorporate, you can make your own healthcare contributions. This is a more complex process that warrants a conversation with an attorney about your circumstances.
Another advantage of the union is its pension fund, which requires minimum employer contributions over a series of years for you to become vested. The union offers many other benefits, including free legal advice, counseling for substance abuse and/or general problems, potential financial assistance from the Emergency Relief Fund, consideration for grants if you become disabled, eligibility to join a credit union, and the use of AFM contract forms.
The union also offers funding for music performances meeting certain guidelines requiring a co-sponsor, a musicians’ referral service, and a private teaching registry. In New York, the union building offers free access to a computer with an Internet connection and a printer, as well as professional rehearsal space on the premises at a reasonable hourly rate.
One concern of mine was that as a union member I would be limited in terms of jobs I could take as a singer. As an AFM member, you are entitled to perform how and wherever you wish, but if you are performing under an AFM contract you must abide by union rules. If you are in a position where you think you can turn a contract into an AFM job (and possibly improve your pay), your local’s organizing department should be able to help you. When I investigated Local 802’s minimum wage rates for contracts, it actually inspired me to be more assertive about performance fees.
Union membership involves certain costs, such as a one-time initiation fee of $100 to join the union, and a prorated membership dues payment. When I received a teaching contract requiring me to join the union, I was encouraged to delay my application until the next month, when the union offered a membership drive that waived initiation fees for new members. If you are not in a rush, you may want to call the union office and ask when its next drive will be. Membership is not necessarily cheap—quarterly dues are $51.50—but you might find the benefits outweigh the dues.
AFM has experienced some controversies with certain opera companies. At the time of this writing, the Local 802 website posts a warning that the American Opera Musical Theatre Company did not negotiate with the union in good faith. Often these conflicts with opera companies are based on the experience or the impetus of instrumentalists, yet the protections for which the union fights can benefit vocalists as well.
I have found the staff at Local 802 in New York to be very friendly and helpful. If you are interested in learning more about joining the union, contact AFM at:
Local 802 AFM
Associated Musicians of Greater New York
322 West 48th Street
New York, NY 10036
Phone (212) 245-4802
www.local802afm.org.
Outside New York:
www.afm.org
