Metropolitan Washington D.C. Federation of Musicians
Local 161-710 members participate in Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, and Labor Day events in and around the Metropolitan Washington D.C. area.
SCHOLARSHIPS
LOCAL 161-710 ANNOUNCES OUR 2024 SCHOLARSHIP
PROGRAM. ACCESS THE APPLICATION BY CLICKING ON THE MENU AT
SCHOLARSHIPS WILL BE AWARDED TO STUDENTS,
AGE 8 -18, IN NEED OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO PAY FOR SUMMER MUSIC STUDIES.
CONTACT PATTY HURD FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
pattyhurd222@gmail.com
For Immediate Release
April 7, 2020
Washington, D.C.
The Musicians of the National Symphony Orchestra are pleased that a settlement has been reached to resolve the grievance filed by our union challenging the Kennedy Center’s decision to furlough musicians beginning this week. That action was not permitted under our collective bargaining agreement and, under the settlement, musicians will not be furloughed. In recognition of the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Kennedy Center, however, we have agreed to modify our collective bargaining agreement to make substantial economic concessions. Our agreement also will be extended for an additional year, through the beginning of September 2024. This will provide financial stability to our musicians during this difficult time.
We are grateful to have a collective bargaining agreement and a union—the D.C. Federation of Musicians, AFM Local 161-710—to protect us. Not all Kennedy Center staff are so fortunate. We urge the Kennedy Center to bring back the Orchestra’s staff as a matter of fairness and so that our venture can flourish. We need their talents to help start new musical projects to present to our patrons and the larger world. The musicians of the National Symphony are pledging at least $50,000 of our own money over the next 10 weeks to help support our NSO staff colleagues. While it is not enough to make them whole, we hope that it helps materially as well as demonstrating our respect and admiration for them.
Throughout this process, the NSO musicians, as always, have been willing to work with management to try to find creative solutions to difficult problems.
Press Statement
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: ED MALAGA
METROPOLITAN WASHINGTON D.C. FEDERATION OF MUSICIANS, AFM LOCAL 161-710
240-731-3613
Washington, D.C., March 28, 2020 –
Yesterday, on the same day that President Trump signed into law a stimulus package that specifically appropriated $25 million to the Kennedy Center to be used for operating expenses including employee compensation, Kennedy Center President Deborah Rutter abruptly advised the musicians of the National Symphony Orchestra that they will not be paid after next week.
This decision, from an organization with an endowment of nearly $100 million, is not only outrageous – coming after the musicians had expressed their willingness to discuss ways to accommodate the Kennedy Center during this challenging time – it is also blatantly illegal under the parties’ collective bargaining agreement. That agreement specifically requires that the Center provide six weeks’ notice before it can stop paying musicians for economic reasons.
The Metropolitan Washington D.C. Federation of Musicians, which represents the National Symphony Orchestra musicians, has filed a grievance challenging the Kennedy Center’s illegal action. A copy of the grievance is attached to this email.
The Metropolitan Washington D.C. Federation of Musicians, American Federation of Musicians Local 161-710, has been serving Washington area musicians since 1901 and continues to be an effective advocate for musicians’ rights in the workplace, be that a nightclub, symphony stage, opera pit, recording studio or on tour.
August 12, 2013
The AFM applauds the passage of the FAA Bill that sets a consistent national policy allowing musical instruments on airplanes
After five years and 23 short-term extensions, Congress has passed legislation reauthorizing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for the next four years. Included in the bill are provisions that create a uniform national policy regarding musical instruments on airplanes. Any instrument that can be safely stored in the overhead compartment or underneath the seat may be brought on board as carry-on luggage. Additionally, the bill sets standard weight and size requirements for checked instruments, and permits musicians to purchase a seat for oversized instruments, such as cellos, that are too delicate to be checked. Existing law allowed each airline to set their own policy regarding musical instruments, and size requirements varied widely for both carry-on and checked baggage. The American Federation of Musicians (AFM) has been lobbying Congress to enact such a policy for nearly a decade.
“This is great news for professional musicians throughout the U.S. and Canada who carry the tools of our trade – our instruments – aboard commercial aircraft,” said AFM President Ray Hair. “Ending the confusion over musical instruments as carry-on baggage has been a top legislative priority for nearly a decade. I am proud of our Government Relations Director, Hal Ponder and his assistant Laura Brigandi in our Washington legislative office for seeing the effort through. Musicians can now fly in friendlier skies.”
The FAA reauthorization was passed by the House of Representatives on Friday, February 3 by a 248-169 vote. It subsequently passed the Senate on Monday, February 6, 75-20. The President is expected to sign the bill into law.