New Zealand Musicians’ Union records.

With the exception of the minutes of the National Executive Committee the bulk of records in this collection relate to the Auckland Branch of the Union and cover the 1970s and 1980s with a few records from the early 1990s which in part document the amalgamation process with the Service Workers Union. The collection includes, correspondence, financial records, files relating to particular disputes, leaflets, brochures, photographs and clippings.

The records reflect the fact that most Union members worked as part-time/contract workers, with the Union handling many small disputes over contracts, unfair dismissals from gigs, travel allowances and holiday pay. The Union provided a standard contract for members to use, partly to avoid such disputes, advice on keeping records for tax purposes and insurance for musical instruments and related equipment. The Union was also active in protecting the rights of New Zealand performers by insisting on the employment of local musicians by visiting performers where ever possible, promoting live music and raising awareness about music piracy.

The Auckland Branch ran a ‘booking service’ for touring shows, by providing membership details to tour operators they would ensure where ever possible that Union members rather than overseas musicians were employed during the New Zealand leg of a tour. At the end of the tour the musical director of a show or session sent the time sheets to the union who would calculate the wages due to the musicians less tax and send a bill back to the employer. The wages were then deposited into a trust account operated by the Union, who would in turn pay the musicians. The Union also filled out the relevant tax forms for the musicians and sent a copy to the musician and one to the employer so that the correct with-holding tax could be paid. Series 10 of the collection relates to this service by the Union.

Among the Auckland Branch records there is also a quantity of material which relates to the Auckland Symphonia and later the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra. Due to financial difficulties the Auckland Symphonia went into receivership in mid 1979, some members of the disbanded orchestra then banded together and formed the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra. This material can be found in Series 11 of the collection.

The Musician Union’s magazine Allegro first appeared as an Auckland Branch publication, in the early 1950s. The magazine was produced roughly quarterly by the Auckland Union until 1969 (see items 2/3 and 2/4) when the cost of producing the magazine caused the Auckland Union to reassess its production. As a result there is a distinct change in the style and quality of Allegro is apparent between the August 1969 and the May 1970 issue.

In early 1971, Neil McGough, the Secretary of the Auckland Branch of the Union also became the National Secretary of the Union. Under McGough’s guardianship a number of changes were made to how the Union was run including making Allegro a national publication. However, it seems to have taken several attempts to get the new version of Allegro up and running as both the July 1972 and May 1973 issues report that they are the first edition of the new national magazine. The collection includes a complete set of the magazine from July 1972 until the final June/July 1984 issue and an index to the magazine created by the Auckland Branch office. (see item 14/4).