Health & Healthcare

Healthcare

As a benefit of membership, the Musicians Union offers dental insurance for an additional charge. As of 2014 we will only be offering a dental plan. Please go to the Washington Healthplan Finder for medical insurance under the Affordable Care Act.

Dental

The Musicians Union also has a group dental plan with Dental Health Services DentalHealthServices.com. Open Enrollment is from December 1-December 31. Current Monthly premium prices are:

• 1 person $27.60 (includes .50 cent sur-charge)
• 2 People $54.95 (includes .75 cent sur-charge)
• 3 People $82.35 (includes $1.00 sur-charge)
• 4+ People $98.65 (includes $1.00 sur-charge)
• Payments are due to the local on the 25th of the month prior

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How To Join The Union

Please complete the following application and submit to our office prior to making a payment.

New or Reinstating Members paying by cash or check, please deliver or mail your payment along with a printed copy of your completed application to our office located at Musicians’ Association of Seattle, 3209 Eastlake Ave. E., Seattle, WA 98102. Those paying by credit, debit or PayPal, please submit your completed application electronically. Follow the steps below, you will be directed to our payment forms page and then to our PayPal site. Please note that a 3% processing fee is charged on all card and PayPal transactions.

STEP 1: Membership Application Form (online fillable pdf)

STEP 2: Attach the completed form in an email to info@local76-493.org

STEP 3: Go to our Payment Form

Current Membership Fees

New Member Discount if paying annually and have never been a Member of any AFM Local:

Save 10% and pay $181.80 + Initiation Fees: $65.00 Federation + $20.00 Local (These are one-time-only fees which you pay upon joining) for a total of $266.80

New Member Discount if paying annually and have been or currently are a Member in good standing of any AFM Local:

Save 10% and pay $181.80 + Initiation Fee: $20.00 Local (This is a one-time-only fees which you pay upon joining) for a total of $201.80

For new Members paying quarterly:

• Initiation Fees: $65.00 Federation + $20.00 Local (These are one-time-only fees which you pay upon joining)
• Dues are $50.50 per quarter. If you’ve never been a member before, dues would be $135.50 (which includes initiation fees) for the first quarter of your membership and then $50.50 per each quarter after joining.

For returning Members who resigned in good standing:

See “existing members” and don’t include late fees.

For existing Regular members:

Annual Dues paid in the month of February $207.00 (includes $5 late fee)
Paying Quarterly in the month of  February $55.50 (includes $5 late fee)
A 3% processing fee will be added to all credit card payments

For existing Life Members:

Annual Dues paid in February $102 (includes $5 late fee)
Paying for 1st Qtr in February 1 $29.25 (includes $5 late fee)
A 3% processing fee will be added to all credit card payments

Additionally there could be Work Dues, (based on Scale Wages), payable at:

1. 2% on jobs booked through the Local’s referral service
2. 4.25% on sound recording sessions. Call the office for work dues on all other types of recordings.
3. Similar varying rates on organized performance groups as defined by their Collective Bargaining Agreements

For returning Members not in good standing:

A $20.00 reinstatement fee and dues for the quarter you were expelled in will apply along with current regular membership dues as for “existing members”. For more information feel free to call us at: (206) 441-7600, Mon-Fri 9:00-5:00 Talk to our office staff about the costs involved in becoming a member or receiving insurance or health benefits – we’re here to help you and answer your questions. Our organizing team is also eager to hear your ideas and concerns as a working musician.

Great deal for new Members of Bands or Ensembles of two or more!

One time initiation fees waived!  A savings of $85/per musician can be had if the either of the following apply:

• Musicians are joining as a band at the same time as a musical unit (consisting of two or more musicians)

or

• Musicians are bandmates of a current AFM member and the rest of the ensemble joins

Member Payment Forms

Make a payment using your credit card or PayPal account with the chosen form below.

Joining as a Band – New members intending to join as a band or who intend to join and complete an existing band where all bandmates are members of Local 76-493, please contact the office prior to paying new membership fees. You are eligible to receive a waiver on our Federation Initiation Fee and our Local Initiation Fee. Please call us for the appropriate amount to pay.

Choose A Form

Membership Payment Form – This form is designed as a series of questions that if properly answered will inform new, current or reinstating members of the appropriate amount to pay when using our online PayPal account.

Dental Payment Form – This form is designed as a series of questions that if properly answered will inform members of the appropriate dental premium amount to pay when using our online PayPal account.

Miscellaneous Billing Form – This form is to be used if you have received a specific billing for work dues, recording work dues, irregular membership dues amount because of a previous over or underpayment, or any other miscellaneous amount quoted by the Local and you wish to use our online PayPal account.  

The Musician’s Bill Of Rights

Whereas, musicians, in addition to being artists, are also human beings entitled to human rights, and workers entitled to workers’ rights, therefore let it be self-evident that these rights shall for now and forever include:

1. 1. The right to enjoy a minimum wage, whether derived from live performance, royalties, or reuse, that is sufficient to provide a standard of support proportional to the entire investment of time and resources required to secure and perform said gainful employment.

1. 1. The right to safe and healthy working conditions including protection from health threatening theatrical devices, demeaning and exploitive costumes or uniforms, excessive sound pressure levels, substandard travel arrangements, ingestion of second hand tobacco smoke, irrelevant recorded music before performances and during intermissions and the right to reasonable rest periods.

1. 1. The right to quality education, health care, legal protection and representation, housing, financial services, child care, unemployment benefits and retirement security, all of which must be affordable within the economic limits defined by the minimum wage.

1. 1. The right to equal employment opportunities based on musical qualifications and/or entertainment value regardless of race, ethnic background, age, gender, religion, cultural diversity or political affiliations.

1. 1. The right to negotiate fairly on one’s own behalf with universal recognition and legal enforcement of resulting contracts on agreed terms.

1. 1. The right to free speech as defined in the U. S. Constitution Bill of Rights and applied to all musical performances and/ or recordings.

1. 1. The right to ownership of all intellectual property rights as applied to compositions, performances, and recordings by all players and singers as well as leaders and publishers who are already protected.

1. 1. The right to bargain collectively.

1. 1. The right to freedom from discrimination.

1. 1. The right to respect from society, equal to that afforded all other workers and professionals are also entitled to the same rights in exchange for the respective contribution of time and materials to place their work in society.