Music Community Urges Congress to Help Their Workers Affected by the Pandemic

The 2020 Coronavirus does not spare music industry. Concerts and festivals were cancelled, and artists are now doing performances online from their homes. The virus has even victimized two people; one recording company executive and one music producer.

However, the most affected by the pandemic in the industry are the workers, especially the freelancers. Because of the crisis that the music industry now faces due to the pandemic, the music community now urges the Congress to help them, especially the freelancers, who are now forbidden to go into gigs as the government imposes stay at home measures to avoid a further spread of the virus.

Call for Help

Recording Academy chairman and interim CEO Harvey Mason Jr. urges the Congress to include the industry's gig workers in their plan to release a multibillion-dollar emergency aid to bend the impact of the pandemic into the country's economy. He wrote a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Leaders Kevin McCarthy and Chuck Schumer according to a report by Billboard

"As the national coronavirus pandemic takes its toll on all Americans, I urge you to protect our nation's musicians, performers, songwriters, and studio professionals," according to Mason's letter. "Just as many large industries will be seeking support, you should not forget the smallest of small businesses: individual music makers who will not benefit from employer-based relief."

Mason explains that the freelancers do not have benefits like paid leave, healthcare, and unemployment benefits due to their status and the pandemic made it worse since it disrupts the normal run of the music industry. "Music is the original 'gig economy," he adds.

Variety reports that the Academy's charitable wing, MusiCares announced that they will help their members affected by the pandemic by making a relief fund. The Academy and MusiCares contributed $1 million each and aside from that, their local chapters committed to fundraise in their area. Their chapter in D.C. is now lobbying some members in Congress to work for the plan.

Other Groups Addressing the Issue

Other music groups are now making their own efforts to help their members who are affected by the pandemic. Local organizations of musicians in some states are now also making their efforts to "flatten the curve" of the effect of the coronavirus to the local music industry like in California and Louisiana.

Other groups like A2IM, AFM, and AGMA are now discussing their plans on how to help their affected members by means of financial aid. Some also like the Artists Relief Tree and Backline are now helping their members by means of virtual support and a $250 request. The HART Fund of Blues Foundation helps their members who are uninsured.

Others are now making a relief fund like those in MusiCares, and some created GoFundMe accounts for their relief efforts.

With massive efforts to contain the virus, the music industry's members are now with the world in its efforto to defeat the virus and recover from the crisis that has struck them.

Tags

Congress, Recording Academy