AGMA, the American Guild of Musical Artists, AFL-CIO, is the labor union that represents America’s classical singers for the purpose of collective bargaining. Because AGMA shares with Classical Singer Magazine the common goal of protecting the rights and interests of American singers, Classical Singer invited us to participate in its First Annual International Classical Singer Convention, held in May at the Hartt School of Music, a part of the University of Hartford, in Connecticut. Attended by more than 350 people from 38 different states and foreign countries, the Convention brought together singers at all stages in their careers and provided us with a unique opportunity to reach out to hundreds of singers and explain the benefits available to them through union membership in the early stages of their careers.
As AGMA views the world, there are only two categories of singers: Current AGMA members and future AGMA members. Currently, AGMA represents 7000 artists performing in the United States at principal opera and ballet companies.
As their careers progress, many emerging professional singers will perform at AGMA signatory American opera companies and will work under AGMA collective bargaining agreements. Pursuant to federal labor law, each of those contracts require that all artists become, and remain, members of AGMA as a condition of being employed by those opera companies.
Since many ‘emerging professionals’ attending the CS Convention were not yet members of AGMA, Classical Singer asked us to talk with them for two reasons: First, because they will someday reach the point in their careers where membership becomes compulsory, we thought it a good idea to introduce them to what will become their union and explain to them what it is that we do for our members. Second, since membership in AGMA is open to all singers at any point in their career, we also thought it important that they know what benefits emerging professionals can obtain from joining AGMA now, even before they debut at a major house.
Because performing artists live to perform, they are vulnerable to employer exploitation, unfair and unsafe conditions and illegal discrimination. They find the protection they need by joining AGMA. Performing artists support themselves with their talents and skill, but the beauty they create doesn’t necessarily pay the rent or the doctor bills. It does not put food on the table or guarantee any of the other necessities of life. It doesn’t even assure that the artists can continue to develop their craft. Without forceful advocacy of their interests, artists can be subjected to abuse, to unfair pay without benefits, to unsafe and unprofessional working conditions, and no job security.
To help them, we do what every talent union does: We protect them. We negotiate contracts, collective bargaining agreements with major opera houses that provide guaranteed wages, standardized working conditions, rehearsal and overtime pay, regulated work hours, vacation and sick pay, resolution of disputes and protection against abuse. We enforce those contracts on behalf of our members at no cost to them. We protect the legal, civil and artistic rights of our members wherever they need protection, at no cost to them. We assure that our collective bargaining agreements provide health insurance, pension coverage, and protection against unreasonable working conditions and unsafe work places. We solve problems for our members in every sphere and can help them with these issues even when they are performing at a non-AGMA house. For choristers, our contracts provide for job tenure. For solo artists, our contracts provide for pay-or-play provisions, so that once they are contracted for work, they get paid, even if their contract is terminated. All AGMA contracts provide for absolute equality of workplace opportunity, and singers’ rights under AGMA contracts are enforced by our staff lawyers and outside counsel, attorneys who comprise the most skilled legal team available at any entertainment union. Under an AGMA contract, Deborah Voigt* would not only have been paid, she would have performed, because no AGMA company would risk being subjected to AGMA’s aggressive legal attack and resultant damages for having discriminated against her illegally.
As in any entertainment labor union, AGMA’s structure includes both a professional staff of employees and a system of internal government of elected officers who are members of the union and who are elected by the members of the union. The executive director is the union’s chief lawyer and contract negotiator and its administrative executive. He supervises a staff consisting of lawyers and administrators that is available to assist members out of our offices in New York, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle. Linda Mays, the union’s national president (and one of only three female national union presidents in all of the AFL-CIO unions) is the highest ranking elected official of the union, and presides over the other six national officers, the 75 members of our Board of Governors and all of our local elected officials. Together, the staff and the elected officers provide a network of coverage that has one purpose: To protect singers’ and dancers’ rights and to secure for them the maximum level of available benefits.
Working artists who are already members of AGMA take advantage on a daily basis of the resources available to them through union membership. But we can also provide a substantial level of benefits to singers early in their careers, if they decide to become members even before they are required to do so by contract. Some of these benefits include:
AGMA Only Auditions
All companies that have a contract with AGMA hold special auditions, open only to AGMA members.
TEIGIT
The Entertainment Industry Group Insurance Trust (TEIGIT) offers AGMA members several options for affordable, private health insurance coverage.
Union Privilege/Union Plus
The AFL-CIO provides a wide variety of benefits, discounts, consumer services and prescription drug plans that are available only to union members.
Actors Work Program
AGMA members are eligible to participate in programs for personal and professional development, including sideline jobs while developing their singing careers.
AGMA Emergency Relief Fund
AGMA members who need financial or social services assistance can get immediate and comprehensive help from the AGMA Relief Fund.
Actors Federal Credit Union
AGMA members are eligible for membership in this not-for-profit banking cooperative, with low fees, high returns, low cost credit cards, worker-oriented payment options, and prompt, member-friendly banking and mortgage assistance.
Other Benefits
Members get discounted membership in our sister union Actors’ Equity, discounted tickets to plays, assistance with legal and contractual matters and a subscription to AGMAzine.
Emerging singers are often surprised to learn that although AGMA is one of the smallest entertainment unions, it has the reputation of doing an exceptional job of protecting its members’ rights and welfare. It has the lowest dues and initiation fees of any talent union, but provides the most extensive and comprehensive net of legal and contract and other membership services. It has negotiated beneficial collective bargaining agreements for its members and has always done so without ever having to strike. It is by far the most democratic of entertainment unions and it is the only entertainment union that is truly run entirely by its members.
The movie Ghostbusters popularized the catch phrase: “Who you gonna call?” AGMA members know who to call, whenever they need help. Whether emerging artists join AGMA now or later in their careers, we look forward to and welcome their membership. Together with the other members of AGMA’s staff and its elected leaders, AGMA’s Executive Director and its President are available to assist any member whenever he or she has a question, needs advice or protection.
*See It ain’t over till the Black Dress Sings May 2004 at the Classical Singer archives www.classicalsinger.com.
To join AGMA, contact Membership Supervisor Candy Itow at 800-543-2462. To learn more about AGMA, write to AGMANY@aol.com or visit our website at www.MusicalArtists.org.
