"Recording artists sign these contracts in good faith fully intending to honor them. But the record companies know from experience that it is highly unlikely artists will be able to fulfill their requirements due to the demands they place on the artists, including touring, video shoots and other marketing chores," said Dexter Holland, lead singer of Offspring. "The labor code which exempts artists from the 7-year rule must be repealed to level the playing field and make it fair for everyone."
As unions represented by the Department for Professional Employees, AFTRA and the AFM were instrumental in soliciting the support of the Department and its 21 affiliated unions representing 4 million workers. These unions are: Actors Equity, American Federation of Musicians, American Federation of School Administrators, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), American Federation of Teachers, AFTRA, American Guild of Musical Artists, Communications Workers of America, Federation of Professional Athletes, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, Office and Professional Employees International Union, Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU), Screen Actors Guild, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Seafarers International Union of North America, United Automobile, Aerospace, and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, International Union, United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, United Steel Workers of America and Writers Guild of America, East.
The Recording Artists Coalition's on-going purpose is to form a non-partisan coalition to represent the interests of recording artists in legislative issues where corporate and artists' interests conflict and address other public policy debates that come before the music industry.
Recording Artists Coalition Concerts Lineups Confirmed
The firm lineups for the four, February 26 Recording Artists Coalition concerts in Southern California are now confirmed.
Performing at the Forum are The Eagles, Billy Joel, John Fogerty, Stevie Nicks, Sheryl Crow; at Universal Amphitheater, Dixie Chicks, Trisha Yearwood, Dwight Yoakam, Emmylou Harris; at Long Beach Arena, No Doubt, The Offspring, Weezer; and at the Wiltern, Beck, Eddie Vedder and Mike Ness.
Earlier this week (January 23), RAC and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, AFL-CIO (AFTRA) and American Federation of Musicians (AFM) members converged on Sacramento, calling on legislators to support Senate Bill 1246 legislation to repeal California Labor Code Section 2855, subdivision B, because it unfairly excludes recording artists from the same protection of law afforded all other working persons in California who sign a personal services contract. They lobbied for the repeal of the former amendment to the state's "seven-year" statute which amendment exempts musicians from the seven-year limit on entertainment contracts. RAC members Don Henley, Carole King, John Fogerty, Beck, Stevie Nicks, Ray Parker, Jr., Sheryl Crow, the Deftones, Paul Doucette (Matchbox Twenty), Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine) and Dexter Holland (Offspring) were all on hand.
