A Message from the TMA President

As of Thursday 12/15/05 the AFM reached a tentative agreement with the League in wages, benefits, and conditions in the Pamphlet B CBA. Many gains were achieved in this contract for the traveling musicians:
 

• They now have a hospitalization payment which increased their benefit by nearly 50%.
• There is now a clear cut proceedure for dismissal of musicians that allows an opportunity to discuss and correct problems before dismissal can occur.
• There is health and safety language that should help us all. Issues of sound, fog, smoke and temperature can be brought to the attention management so a solution may be reached.
• Salaries have increased.
• In the last year of the contract there is a 1% increase in pension.
• There are improvements in rehearsal language and rates.
• The fine for missing Golden Days is now double.
• There is an experimental 5 tier low budget agreement that is tied to the weekly guarantee with full pension. The League stated that this should help them to create more union work for AFM musicians, and discourage non-union tours that pay below these tiers.
• Equity and IATSE have similar provisions in their contracts.
• By creating the low budget portion of this agreement we have allowed increases in wages, benefits, and salaries for regular Pamphlet B.
   

This took a lot longer than anyone expected and I feel this is a good contract. There was an enormous amount of work and time put in by all. When the AFM sends out a memo I will send more information to you.

Sincerely,
Vicky Smolik
TMA President

George Troia
TMA Vice-President

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