Musical marchers will gather at Union Square Park and march to City Hall Park; Union urges supporters of “Justice for Jazz Artists” campaign, as well as all who value fair treatment of musicians, to join this lively event!
NEW YORK, NY—Wednesday, May 1, 2013: On May Day, the day after International Jazz Day—a yearly celebration of jazz music as a tool to educate, bring peace and open dialogue—the Local 802 AFM union and their “Justice for Jazz Artists” campaign will take to the streets with labor groups to celebrate and advocate for workers’ and migrants’ rights. The yearly May Day celebration—a national holiday in over 80 countries—celebrates the international labor movement.
The march and protest will advocate for fair treatment of all professional musicians in New York City and beyond and raise awareness of the challenges specific to many jazz musicians who play New York City’s most affluent clubs. Supporters are urged to bring instruments, make signs and join in this musical show of solidarity!
WHAT: Musicians’ May Day Rally and Musical March!
DATE: Wednesday, May 1st
TIME: 3:30pm – Rally in Union Square Park
5:00pm – March to City Hall Park
WHERE: Southwest corner of Union Square Park
About Justice for Jazz Artists
The Justice for Jazz Artists campaign seeks to work with NYC jazz clubs to ensure that jazz musicians receive fair pay, modest pension contributions, protection of their recording rights and a reasonable process for addressing grievances. In 2007 the Justice for Jazz Artists campaign helped New York City jazz club owners to successfully lobby the State Legislature to waive the sales tax on admission charges, with the express understanding that a portion of this savings would be directed toward modest pension contributions on behalf of musicians. Since the law’s passage, not one club has made any pension fund contributions. Justice for Jazz Artists wishes the City’s best and most cherished jazz institutions continued success. However, due to the tax cut achieved in concert with the union, the major NYC jazz clubs like the Blue Note, Iridium, Village Vanguard, Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola, The Jazz Standard and Birdland can also afford to do right by the musicians who bring patrons through their doors. Fairness. Dignity. Respect. Now’s the Time! For more information, visit www.
About Local 802, AFMLocal 802 of the American Federation of Musicians is the largest local union of professional musicians in the world. It unites to fight for the common interests and well-being of musicians employed in New York’s music and entertainment industries through collective bargaining and legislative and political action. The union seeks to help musicians by advancing industry standards that dignify musicians’ labor and honor and enrich their art, and seeks to organize into a community all musicians and aspiring musicians, and to reach out to all who share their interests and passion. Local 802 of the AFM is an organization committed to upholding the integrity of live musical performance and to advancing the vital role of music in education, and in the economic, cultural and social life of their communities and beyond. Local 802, AFM advocates for economic and social justice for musicians and for society as a whole. Its members live in all five boroughs of New York City, Long Island, upstate New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. http://www.local802afm.org/
