Dear Radegast,
Our various bands have enjoyed performing for your customers for over 8 years. During that time we have helped your popularity grow, and brought our fans to be your paying customers. But in the past few months, you have not only cut our pay, forcing us to fire musicians and downsize our bands, but have now cut our food (50%) and drinks. Please consider the following:
- What you propose to pay us now, without food and drink, is below acceptable minimum pay for NYC musicians.
- You made this change without asking or even warning us in advance. Some musicians showed up hungry, and you forced them to buy food that should have been part of their pay.
- Cost of providing limited food and drink for musicians is relatively minimal, but makes a big difference to us.
- Hourly mean wage for musicians in NY state: $37.79. For a 3-hour gig, this would be $113.37, which is more than you are paying us. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
- US inflation over the last 8 years: 15.6%. By this measure we should be receiving $115.60 per person, which is more than you are paying us.
- We consistently promote our appearances and bring our fans, even on otherwise slow nights for you.
- You only book bands with Tax IDs, meaning we are losing part of our pay to taxes.
Those of us who currently have future dates scheduled are open to playing them, under the original conditions. But if you cannot honor our agreements, we cannot play those dates.
However, going forward, with these pay cuts, we will not be able to afford to continue to perform at Radegast. Nor will we be able to recommend to our fans a venue that underpays its musicians and breaks long-held agreements.
We strongly urge you to reconsider your sudden actions, and reinstate food and drink, at the minimum, for your musicians. We would be glad to hear from you, and to discuss, and we hope you recognize that this is the right thing to do.
Sincerely, the undersigned:
The Grand St. Stompers
Cait and the Critters
