Musicians look for justice

By Frank Noakes

PERTH — The Musicians' Union here has embarked on a campaign which, if successful, could bring major changes to the appalling conditions of employment most musicians are now forced to endure.

The campaign, endorsed by the local Trades and Labor Council, revolves around pressuring the government to introduce changes to the WA employment laws. The changes would give the union the right to have onerous contracts knocked out and replaced by fairer ones. This, it is hoped, will give legally enforceable minimum working conditions, something the industry lacks Australia-wide.

Further, according to musicians' union secretary Peter Woodward, the union is demanding to be allowed access to the Industrial Relations Commission. Woodward told Green Left Weekly that "this means that the majority of our legal work can be done in a place with quick results and no legal fees, which is no more than what other Australian workers get".

Features of the campaign include a mass petition, posters and stickers, T-shirts and free public performances.

One effect of the current push by the union was the parading, for the very first time, of musicians under their own banner at this year's May Day march.

"Our push for reform reflects a problem faced by musicians all over the world. The American Federation of Musicians has recently achieved reforms which will protect the employment conditions of their musicians. This has been achieved in what is widely regarded as a very conservative industrial relations environment.

"The time has come for musicians to take their case to the public and the parliament by means of the current campaign", Woodward said.

From GLW issue 55