FNV - Classic

Brochure for classical music

A sense of belonging

Setting the tone

You have been occupied with music and music alone since childhood. It is in your thoughts all day long. It is therefore logical that you prefer to leave legal and employment issues to others.

This leaves you free to concentrate on the next concert. FNV Classical Music gives business advice and fiscal advice and organizes training courses specifically for musicians.

to get the most out of every concert, you cannot spend time worrying about collective labour agreements or the consequences of an occupational illness. Fortunately you do not have to concern yourself with these matters.

FNV Classical Music can negotiate with employers on your behalf and establish the best possible working conditions for you and your colleagues. For example, we make sure that working hours are not too long, and that employers make clear arrangements regarding working conditions.

We offer both collective and individual services.

Musicians, like everyone else, have to deal with terms of employment, tax issues and legal matters. You do not have to face these problems alone. Our specialists can give advice based on their knowledge of your professional situation.

FNV Classical Music is a trade union that now also acts on behalf of the self-employed. This is not as strange as it sounds. The world is If you want

changing and so are we. This is especially important as our members operate in the arts sector, which is by nature dynamic and innovative.

This sector needs a professional body to represent the interests of artists on both a collective and an individual level. FNV Classical Music sets the tone with regard to working conditions for musicians as well as for auxiliary personnel within music organizations.

FNV Classical Music offers the following • Business advice • Legal advice • Fiscal assistance • Contract screening • Training courses • Lectures • Collective labour agreement negotiations • Permanent political lobby • Assistance with labour disputes

‘ I can always call in the union’ name age profession ambition

Tosca 31 cellist to play with Yo-Yo Ma

I first held a cello at the age of three. I was immediately captivated. After leaving the music academy, I worked as a freelancer for a year.

I liked the independence, as it gave me an opportunity to discover the direction in which I wanted to go and the style that suited me best.

Even so, I am glad that I now have a permanent position with an orchestra. Everything is laid down in the collective labour agreement. This leaves me more free time to study and to stay in shape. Working as a musician is like playing toplevel sport. I have to practice all the time.

As a cellist I am sometimes worried about my hearing. The brass players and percussionists produce plenty of decibels. Working with earplugs is awkward, as this hinders contact with the rest of the orchestra. It is like being on an island. But sometimes the sound is almost unbearable. One solution would be earplugs that allow more sound through during a quiet passage and less sound during a loud section.

FNV Classical Music is helping to devise possible solutions.

In my opinion orchestras have to move with the times, although at the same time employee rights have to be protected. For instance, should we continue playing in the summer or not? This is good for the reputation of the orchestra, but the musicians need a holiday. Where should the boundaries be drawn? Thanks to the trade union our position is stronger. I see the union as a back-up. I can always call in the FNV, and this is a reassuring thought.

More and more musicians are becoming self-employed. How does this work?

Many musicians belong to an orchestra. However, some opt for the freedom offered by freelancing. They have their own ensemble, belong to a quartet, or work as a solo artist or substitute. FNV Classical Music has negotiated provisions for these people in the collective labour agreement (for instance, substitutes are guaranteed the minimum fee and they also accrue pension.) This is quite exceptional, as it is the first time that self-employed people have been included in the collective labour agreement. But we have more to offer. For instance, how are the fiscal and legal regulations applied in the case of selfemployment, and how are these regulations affected by a combination of activities? FNV Classical Music has the answers.

Professional advice

What has to be considered if you want to become selfemployed? During an individual consultation, our business advisers can tell you all about taxes (tax-deductible items, employee insurance contributions), insurance (medical insurance, incapacity insurance, pension), administration (VAT payments) and drawing up a business plan. If necessary a consultant can coach you with regard to setting up an independent business.

contract specialist, who will help you to prepare for the contract discussions.

Tax service

As an entrepreneur, you have to submit a declaration of your profits to the Dutch tax authorities. Our employees can provide individual assistance with this.

Pregnancy

The WAZ (incapacity insurance for the self-employed) scheme for pregnant self-employed women was abolished in 2004. After lobbying by various interest groups, including the FNV, the Dutch government has now formulated a proposal for a new scheme for pregnant self-employed women.*) Courses

FNV Classical Music offers five practical courses geared specifically towards musicians and stage artists. These courses are Negotiations, Copyright, Employed or Self-Employed, Taxes, and Presentation. As your fellow pupils are other musicians and stage artists, you can learn from one another, making the courses even more effective. The lecturers know everything there is to know about the performing arts sector.

Legal Helpdesk

Our Legal Helpdesk functions as the primary contact, providing telephone information, documentation, advice and legal assistance in the field of work, income and business administration. Our helpdesk assistant will first assess your question or problem in order to determine which lawyer is the most capable of resolving the issue in hand. This lawyer will then call you back the following working day at the latest.

Contract advice

Special training courses are given to teach about contract negotiations. If you still need individual advice regarding a complex work agreement, you can make an appointment with our

*) At the time of going to press, this scheme was still being dealt with in the Upper and Lower Houses of the Dutch Parliament, so the details are not yet definitive. Pregnant self-employed women will probably receive a pregnancy and maternity allowance of up to â‚Ź1392 for 16 weeks.

Further information FNV Classical Music has developed for its members two substantial brochures on fiscal and legal issues that may be of interest to musicians and stage artists. These are Copyright (including model contracts) and Employed or Self-Employed.

Thinking ahead FNV Classical Music follows professional developments closely, comes up with a response and takes appropriate action. The increasing flexibility of the profession calls for musicians to be alert and open-minded. sector has a long tradition. Orchestras have often existed for over 150 years in the same form, and it is not uncommon for musicians to stay with the same orchestra throughout their life. But times are changing here, too. The abolition of the early retirement pension scheme has great consequences for the future of musicians, generating entirely new reintegration problems. After all, people who have spent their entire lives making music find it very hard to do something else. It is important to reach retirement age in good health and with continued pleasure in your work. The FNV is making great efforts to realize this.

Grants can no longer be relied upon, and the question of how to attract new audiences is important. In this regard the common ground between pop and rock is enjoying considerable success.

Flexibility is becoming increasingly important. Is it possible to broaden the working field by including classical music in art education? Politicians are in favour of this. Furthermore, holidays are no longer sacred. Instead of one long summer holiday, this may need to be staggered in order to meet the increasing demand for classical music at summer festivals. FNV Classical Music is thinking ahead with regard to these and other developments. The union is also making efforts to improve the salaries and working conditions of musicians in exchange for greater flexibility. FNV Classical Music is holding discussions with politicians, employers and grant providers in order to come up with better solutions for musicians, not just in the short term but in the long term as well.

The classical music

FNV Classical Music, answering your questions What should my salary be according to the collective labour agreement?

How can I prevent an occupational illness?

When am I self-employed according to the Dutch tax authorities?

Am I entitled to any grant schemes and how do these work?

Call us (020) 355 36 36 Our legal helpdesk 0900 36 854 36 (â‚Ź 0,10 p.m) Send us a fax (020) 355 37 37 Send us an e-mail algemeen@fnv-kiem.nl Visit our website www.fnv-kiem.nl

FNV Klassieke Muziek 10-2007

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Address FNV KIEM Jan Tooropstraat 1 1062 BK Amsterdam