{"id":1463,"date":"2019-06-04T06:00:47","date_gmt":"2019-06-04T06:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.uniontrack.com\/blog\/?p=1463"},"modified":"2019-06-04T08:40:46","modified_gmt":"2019-06-04T08:40:46","slug":"artists-unions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uniontrack.com\/blog\/artists-unions","title":{"rendered":"Artists Need Unions, Too: The Role of Organized Labor in Creative Industries"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ken Green
\nCEO\/Founder
\nUnionTrack, Inc.<\/a><\/p>\n

Most people don\u2019t often think of artists \u2014 this includes authors, actors and musicians \u2014 as workers with a reason to unionize. The glamour of those professions often shields the realities of working conditions for creative professionals, not only from the public, but from the artists themselves, too. <\/p>\n

The truth of these professions is far less glamorous. Most creative professionals work in stressful, sometimes compromising conditions. And yet unions in these industries have grown at a slow pace. <\/p>\n

It isn\u2019t for lack of trying. It\u2019s just that some industries have proven to be easier to unionize than others. Unions do exist for artists, but drawing individual workers into these unions has always been more challenging than in the trades. <\/p>\n

Why It Is Difficult to Organize Artists Into Unions<\/h2>\n

Artist unions are up against a number of barriers in their efforts to grow their memberships.<\/p>\n

The biggest challenge? Overcoming the mindset of artists who tend not to see themselves as workers within a collective group. Artists are naturally individualistic, explains British artist Patrick Brill, better-known as Bob and Roberta Smith<\/a>. As such, they want to do their own thing, not \u201cjump on other people\u2019s bandwagons,\u201d Smith says. That spirit of individualism makes it difficult to convince them to join together as a collective.<\/p>\n

“Collective bargaining requires an obedient rank-and-file,\u201d says jazz critic and music historian Ted Gioia<\/a>. \u201cBut is there a profession more resistant to this than art-making?\u201d <\/p>\n

Furthermore, artists don\u2019t always see the benefits of joining unions because they don\u2019t define themselves as workers. Artists lack a traditional mode of employment that is often associated with unions, says Richard Whitby<\/a>, a member of the Artists\u2019 Union England. Most are self-employed artists who work remotely, not shop-floor employees who report to a boss. That makes it difficult for them to identify with unions and union membership. <\/p>\n

Another key obstacle is the distributed nature of the various artistic professions. Locals by definition represent a centralized area where the union has a physical presence. The remote nature of work for painters, musicians, actors and other artists makes that model of organizing difficult to apply.<\/p>\n

But it isn\u2019t impossible. Most artistic professions have long had unions, or at the very least coalitions, to help them fight for better working conditions. <\/p>\n

\"Artists<\/p>\n

How Unions Can \u2014 And Do \u2014 Help Artists<\/h2>\n

Those in creative industries do need unions. They are<\/em><\/strong> workers because their art is the product of labor, argues Shaun Richman<\/a>, program director for the Harry Van Arsdale Jr. Center for Labor Studies at New York Empire State College. But many artists are pressured to feel guilty about questioning their working conditions simply because they are doing something they love.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf your job is reframed as a passion project, being dissatisfied with unfit labor conditions thus signals a personal failure: if you really loved your job, you wouldn\u2019t care about being underpaid.\u201d That\u2019s how Athena Christa<\/a>, a member of the Museum of Modern Arts Local 2110\u2019s bargaining committee, describes the mentality of employers within the creative industries. When this is the attitude of the people writing the checks, it can be difficult to advocate for changes.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why artists themselves have to drive change from the bottom up in order to improve their working conditions, says artist and author Nicolas Lampert<\/a>. That collective bargaining power is how unions have done tremendous good for working artists. <\/p>\n

Union Wins for Freelance Writers<\/h3>\n

The National Writers Union<\/a> (NWU) stands up for writers who often work on a contract basis. It is not uncommon in the media industry for freelancers to go unpaid for long stretches, with little muscle to fight back against the big publishers. \u201cThe easiest thing to do is stiff the individual freelancer,\u201d laments Larry Goldbetter<\/a>, president of UAW Local 1981.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s when the NWU steps in and fights on the writer\u2019s behalf. Some of its most recent noteworthy victories were against Ebony magazine and Nautilus magazine, settlements that netted $160,000 in back pay for 80 writers. In 2014, the union had a big victory against Heart and Soul magazine, where it won $125,000 for 12 freelancers. <\/p>\n

These victories demonstrate the power of collective action \u2014 even when there is no centralized \u201cworkplace\u201d to organize around.<\/p>\n

\"Artists<\/p>\n

Union Wins for Actors<\/h3>\n

The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists<\/a> (SAG-AFTRA) works tirelessly to ensure actors and other workers in this industry receive fair pay and favorable working conditions.<\/p>\n

Its 2017 contract with Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers included, for the first time, foreign residuals for when work is shown on affiliated platforms abroad. Depending on the work and how it\u2019s distributed abroad, this provision can have a multiplying effect on an artist\u2019s residual income. Casting director Marc Hirschfeld<\/a> says this demonstrates SAG-AFTRA\u2019s ability to fight on behalf of artists.<\/p>\n

Another example: The 2019 contract between the Actors\u2019 Equity Association<\/a> and off-Broadway producers gives substantial salary increases to many actors and stage managers. The contract calls for wage increases of 32 to 81 percent over the life of the contract, and covers both commercial off-Broadway theatres and not-for-profits. Actors\u2019 Equity President Kate Shindle<\/a> called it a \u201chistoric\u201d contract that allows actors and stage managers to do what they love while supporting themselves financially. <\/p>\n

Union Wins for Musicians<\/h3>\n

The American Federation of Musicians<\/a> (AFM) has a long history of wins for better working conditions for musicians. Some victories in recent years include:<\/p>\n