BANDS TOLD TO JOIN UNION

Chronicle (Levin), 21 October 1947, Page 7

BANDS TOLD TO JOIN UNION

DUNEDIN, Oct. 20. The Otago Musieians' Union has decided to eircularise the brass bands in the city informing them that if they are to continue to aceept public engagements sucli as at racc meetings, their members must beeome members of the union. If the bandsmen do not beeome members the union has decided that it will forni a professional band of its own members and will teuder for public engagements. The president of the union, Mr. E. W. Crawford, said that if this was done and brass bands at present operating in the city refused to take up membership of the union, only the union 's band eould be empioved for paid appearanees at public funetioiis. Mr. Crawford pointed out that nou-union workers were not employable and only a nnion band could be employed if the personnel of the other bands were not members. Mr. Crawford stated that brass bands had been paid about £20 for an appearance at race meetings in the past but the present situatidir was that some bands had been reported to have accepted these engagements at fees ranging from £3 3s to £5. It Avas in the interests of members and the band as a A^hole to play at paid public fuiu'tions onlv at.rates spceified in the musieians '.award. Payments of £5 Avould c o nt r i b ut e ■ • 'Httie 'in the Avay of band equipment or uniforms whereas the scale provided in the award for the servic.es of a band would be a substanlial amouut. The chairman of the city bands' committe, Mr. A. (t. Iiomer, said lie satv some merit in the suggestion that bands should receive' ad;equate reAvard for their scrvices but & proposal sucli as that put forward. Lby the Musieians* Union, would havmfar" Teaching effects. Tf those engaging bands had to i>ay full union rates they wright dgcide that they could do witliout bands or, alternatively, use loud speaker systems for iiuisic. _ If they were to continue to ongage bands at union rates, it could be expeeted that they would einploy only the best. Tn this eyent the lower grade bands would suffeipand some of them might even tl;a%& to "go out of business. " -■