Local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians

Local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians
Name	Local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians
Location	New York City, New York
Founded	1919
Affiliation	American Federation of Musicians
Members	~7,500
Headquarters	New York City

Local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians is the New York City local of the American Federation of Musicians. Founded in the early 20th century, it represents professional musicians working in Broadway, recording, radio, television, symphony, jazz, and commercial music in New York City. Local 802 has been central to labor actions, collective bargaining, welfare programs, and cultural advocacy affecting performers associated with institutions like the New York Philharmonic, Metropolitan Opera, and Broadway theaters such as the Gershwin Theatre.

History

Local 802 emerged amid labor organizing that involved figures and events tied to AFL–CIO-era unions, contemporary with organizations like the American Federation of Labor and movements influenced by leaders such as Samuel Gompers. Early 20th-century recording and broadcasting booms connected Local 802 activities to companies including Victor Talking Machine Company, Columbia Records, Decca Records, and broadcasters like NBC and CBS. During the Great Depression, programs linked to the Works Progress Administration and venues like Carnegie Hall affected musicians' livelihoods, prompting Local 802 to negotiate protections paralleling national deals with the Screen Actors Guild and the Writers Guild of America. Postwar cultural shifts involved interactions with entities such as the Jazz at Lincoln Center organization, the Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center), and the New York City Ballet, while technological change from the phonograph to digital streaming led Local 802 into disputes involving companies like Apple Inc., Spotify, and the Recording Industry Association of America.

Membership and Governance

Membership spans performers in orchestras such as the New York Philharmonic, bands associated with venues like Blue Note Jazz Club, pit musicians on productions at the Winter Garden Theatre, studio musicians who worked with producers like George Martin and Quincy Jones, and freelance musicians performing in settings from Lincoln Center to Manhattan nightclubs linked to artists like Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, and Billie Holiday. Governance uses elected officers and an executive board that interact with the national American Federation of Musicians and with municipal entities including New York City Council committees. Internal policy debates have referenced precedents from unions like International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees and labor lawyers who have represented members before agencies such as the National Labor Relations Board.

Contracts and Labor Actions

Local 802 negotiates collective bargaining agreements covering Broadway shows at theaters like the Majestic Theatre and recording sessions for labels such as Sony Music, as well as session work for television networks ABC and cable channels like HBO. Historic actions include strikes and walkouts that drew parallels with labor disputes involving the Screen Actors Guild‑American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and the American Federation of Teachers in tactics and public support. High-profile negotiations have involved royalty and residual structures influenced by cases and institutions like the Copyright Office and the United States Supreme Court decisions affecting performance rights. Local 802 has coordinated pickets and informational campaigns with cultural organizations including the American Symphony Orchestra League and advocacy groups like Musicians United for Safe Touring.

Services and Programs

Local 802 administers benefit programs and funds patterned after models used by entities such as the Actors Fund and the Musicians Foundation, providing pension and welfare services linked to collective agreements similar to those held by the Screen Actors Guild Pension and Health Plan. Programs include health benefits, pension administration, emergency relief funds, and educational workshops in collaboration with institutions such as Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music, and Columbia University. Outreach and advocacy involve partnerships with cultural policy organizations like the League of American Orchestras, artist advocacy groups such as Creative Rights, and community arts initiatives associated with Lincoln Center Education.

Notable Members and Leadership

Past and present membership and leadership have included performers and administrators who interacted with prominent figures such as Leonard Bernstein, George Gershwin, Stephen Sondheim, Sting, Paul Simon, Wynton Marsalis, Celia Cruz, Arturo Toscanini, and Marian Anderson. Executive directors and presidents have negotiated with managers and producers linked to Broadway producers like Cameron Mackintosh, record executives at Universal Music Group, and orchestral leaders such as former music directors of the New York Philharmonic and Metropolitan Opera maestros. Legal and labor counsel for Local 802 have engaged with attorneys who also worked on cases involving the National Labor Relations Board and labor precedents cited in disputes involving unions like the Teamsters.

Facilities and Archives

Local 802 maintains offices in New York City and preserves archival materials documenting collective bargaining, contracts, and musician welfare, comparable in scope to archival holdings at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts and collections related to the Smithsonian Institution's music divisions. Its archives contain correspondence with agencies such as the Federal Communications Commission and records of interactions with cultural institutions including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The local has hosted public events, lectures, and panels featuring historians and musicians affiliated with academic centers like Columbia University and New York University.

Category:Trade unions in New York City Category:Musicians' trade unions