The union movement is alive!

Looking at the passengers on a bus journey from the Geneva-Cornavin railway station to the Palais des Nations, the main European headquarters of the United Nations, you'd be forgiven for thinking that Geneva is perhaps the most cosmopolitan city in Europe: over 100 international organizations have their headquarters here, including the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Trade Organization (WTO), the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO). The latter jointly organized the 23rd FIM Congress with USDAM. The Swiss Musicians' Union took charge of organizing the congress in a relatively short space of time, and was able to take advantage of the ILO's excellent infrastructure. Given that the last congress, in May 2021, had to be held online because of the pandemic, delegates were all the more delighted to be able to gather together again in one place.

The congress kicked off with a performance by the Geneva Brass, who played with breathtaking virtuosity. Davide Jäger, USDAM's central co-president, spoke of how playing music can serve as a model for the world. Daniel Lampart, Central Secretary of the USS, emphasized how difficult the current situation is for workers and democracy alike: only multinationals benefit from economic success, and populists take advantage of this tense situation. Good working conditions are very important. Frank Hagemann of the ILO stated that his organization stands by musicians. Only with trade unions can solutions be found for sustainable social security. Musicians are part of the international economy. Too many informal agreements are made in the entertainment industry, when creative work should be adequately remunerated. Sylvie Forbin, WIPO Deputy Director General, points out that music is ubiquitous worldwide and accompanies many of life's moments. Improvements are needed in its use. The ILO and WIPO share common goals. The effects of streaming have been studied since 2015; rapid technological advances require rapid responses, as the music sector is also at the heart of the use of artificial intelligence.

Carine Bachmann, Director of the Federal Office of Culture (FOC), pointed out that it was the responsibility of the state to create framework conditions for music. Music is also a tool for integration and a home for uprooted people.

John Smith, FIM President, thanked the ILO for its hospitality and pointed out that it has set many international standards, for example in the field of gender equality.

Thematic round tables

Three thematic roundtables were devoted to important current topics: the challenges of tariff negotiation for the self-employed, the impact of the emergence of on-demand radio on broadcasting fees, and tariff contracts in the field of AI. On the first theme, Naomi Pohl, General Secretary of the British Musicians' Union, explained that in London's Westend, 90% of employees are union members. In other countries, there is too much dispersion, but the more members a union has, the stronger it is. It's important to convince the self-employed of union ideas too. Margherita Licata (ILO) points out that self-employed status differs from country to country. Because of the different employers and workplaces, collective bargaining in the music sector differs from that in other sectors, not least because of the commercialization of recordings and related neighboring rights. Many delegates described the situation in their own countries: even in Europe, the situation is unsatisfactory in some places, while in Côte d'Ivoire, musicians are often not properly remunerated. Musicians still lack self-confidence, which is not surprising given that the population does not perceive their activity as a profession, and the status of artists is not yet guaranteed. In Brazil, on the other hand, there is a very good 1978 law, which would be fantastic if implemented. The protection of employees and their pensions would then be guaranteed, but often no checks are made.

Artificial intelligence and copyright: a challenge

As far as artificial intelligence (AI) is concerned, there are calls for more rules to put generative AI in its place and stop the theft of human-created works. AI could also lead to job losses. Taken individually, states or unions are often overwhelmed; copyright should be defended collectively or, better still, with strict international laws. This is undoubtedly necessary when influential multinational executives, such as Mark Zuckerberg, find that artists overvalue their work. Platforms should be forced to sit down at the negotiating table.

The congress also had to vote on a number of proposals which in part referred to the modification of FIM's statutes. The promotion of equality between women and men was also on the agenda: the congress supports the creation of a network of Women's Desks in all member unions. The aim is to identify systemic obstacles to women's participation and advancement, to exchange best practices and resources between unions, and to implement initiatives to increase the proportion of women in orchestras, management positions and other key positions. The FIM congress is also committed to ending the use of blackface and to equal pay for equal work.

Elections ensure continuity and renewal

In the elections, current Chairman John Smith from Great Britain was re-elected by acclamation. Elections for the vice-presidency fortunately resulted in perfect parity between men and women, and an almost ideal geographical distribution. The vice-presidency is now made up of Tino Gagliardi (USA), Karin Inde (Sweden), Edith Katiji (Zimbabwe), Irene Monterroso (Costa Rica) and Beat Santschi (Switzerland). The following countries are represented on the committee: Australia, Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Japan, Kenya, Norway, Romania and Senegal.

USDAM and its Central Secretary Beat Santschi can be proud of having organized to perfection a very important FIM congress, as well as a wide range of leisure activities for delegates. FIM's role as a world leader in the defense of musicians' rights has been strengthened by this congress.