Claiming that “systemic racism” is to blame for a lack of “economic parity,” more than three dozen live television musicians have signed an open letter to the TV networks calling for parity with their colleagues – actors, writers and directors – in the area of wages, health care contributions and residuals payments on streaming platforms.
Signers include John Baptiste, the bandleader for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert; Eli Brueggemann, music director for Saturday Night Live; and Paul Mirkovich, musical director for the house band on The Voice.
The letter states that during contract negotiations earlier this month between the broadcast networks and the American Federation of Musicians, “Your companies acknowledged that live television musicians are the only sector of the industry exhibiting substantial racial diversity, but at the bargaining table we are told that our contributions are worth less than those of actors, writers, and directors, even though we give just as much.
Signers include John Baptiste, the bandleader for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert; Eli Brueggemann, music director for Saturday Night Live; and Paul Mirkovich, musical director for the house band on The Voice.
The letter states that during contract negotiations earlier this month between the broadcast networks and the American Federation of Musicians, “Your companies acknowledged that live television musicians are the only sector of the industry exhibiting substantial racial diversity, but at the bargaining table we are told that our contributions are worth less than those of actors, writers, and directors, even though we give just as much.
- 9/17/2020
- by David Robb
- Deadline Film + TV
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