With the pandemic ongoing and no governmental aid on the horizon, the musicians union Local 802 has just launched the #SaveNYCMusicians campaign, which asks for donations to the union’s emergency relief fund. The campaign also hopes to bring heightened awareness to the need for longer-term relief measures, such as an extension of unemployment benefits and healthcare subsidies. Local 802 President Adam Krauthamer said many members cannot afford to wait for federal aid with a new presidential administration.
Politically, the #SaveNYCMusicians campaign has also gained the public support of legislators, including U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson and other local leaders, who all called for donations to the group.
Donations to the campaign will both help provide emergency relief to Local 802 members and provide contributions to the health fund, according to the campaign site.
Most Local 802 musicians have been unemployed since March, and will likely remain unemployed until September at the earliest, or whenever theaters and venues can safely reopen. In a video released as part of the campaign, musicians from venues including the New York Philharmonic, the American Ballet Theatre and several Broadway shows shared their concerns about the lack of a steady income.
Musicians are also dealing with a potential loss of health insurance. The Local 802 Musicians health fund, like others in the theater community, is funded by employer contributions, which have largely dried up. “We’re in the midst of the most serious crisis we’ve ever faced,” Krauthamer said. “There are members that have left New York already to find affordable places to live.”
For more information and to donate, click here.
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