1. Why do musicians need this? 2. FAQ 3. Sign a Petition of Support
Why do musicians need this?
Too often musician pay is an afterthought when planning events. Budget for the caterer? Of course. Spend some money on security? Naturally. A little extra to pay for a bouncy house? Sounds good. And oh, we’re looking for some musicians to volunteer their time because “it’s a good cause,” or “it would be great exposure!” (This happens so often we musicians have a saying: “People die of exposure.”)
Why should Portland do this?
It is not uncommon for a municipality to have a policy or law that sets the hourly wage and benefits paid to a group of workers in a particular area. The federal government and most states (including Oregon) have laws requiring that public works projects must pay prevailing wage to the laborers on the job; regulatory agencies in these states calculate the prevailing wage for various types of work—usually this is based on union contracts. In addition, federal law requires recipients of grants from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) or the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to pay professional performers and related supporting personnel at least the prevailing minimum compensation for their professions. These sorts of laws ensure that our taxpayer money supports jobs with fair wages.
Here’s a good example: The nonprofit that runs Pioneer Courthouse Square receives about 20% of its funding from the city. They have a Holiday Arts Program for which they invite musicians to perform for free, saying that “this is not a paid performance as we are using funds from the arts program to provide other resources such as a tent, stage, power, and the availability of production assistants.”
What are we asking for?
- A minimum wage for professional performers who play gigs that are either 1) contracted by the city of Portland, 2) funded with city money, or 3) performed on city property.
- $110/hr per person in wages and fringe benefits (e.g. if a union contract is used, 6% pension would be included in the $110) with a 1.5 hr minimum..
- $132/hr if payroll taxes are not paid by the hirer
- $110/hr per person in wages and fringe benefits (e.g. if a union contract is used, 6% pension would be included in the $110) with a 1.5 hr minimum..
- Annual increases either tied to inflation or tied to increases in Musicians Union wages
- Exceptions:
- Performers under collective bargaining agreements (i.e. if a group’s workers are already covered by a union contract, they are free to negotiate the wage and benefits they want)
- Musicians who are performing with a volunteer musical group and who exclusively perform for that group as uncompensated volunteers (e.g. Rose City Pride Bands).
Frequently Asked Questions about a Fair Wage for Musicians
- Does this mean everyone who plays city gigs gets paid the same?
No. This would be a minimum rate that the City cannot go below. You can (and probably should) always ask for more $$$!
- Does this mean every venue has to pay the same minimum rate?
NO. This strictly applies to gigs funded by the City of Portland. It very well may raise standards elsewhere as a side-effect, but does not demand this of all venues.
- Why have the union set these rates instead of an independent body?
If the rates aren’t pegged to inflation, someone has to decide how they should be updated. Who better than the professionals who do this work every day? The members of the Musicians Union already convene annually to adjust our other promulgated rates; it would be simple for us to do the same for the City of Portland Musician Minimum wage. When we do that work, we are mindful of what is fair and what the market can bear. The decision is made in a transparent and democratic fashion, and membership in the Union is open to any musician in Portland.
- Why should a musician’s minimum wage be so much higher than what regular Oregon minimum wage is ($16.30/hr in the Portland metro area as of July 1st, 2025)?
First of all, Oregon’s minimum wage is too low.
Secondly, musicians’ work is not as easy as others’ to fit squarely into an hourly rate. We own expensive equipment, and we do a lot of work outside of our performing hours to prepare, whether that’s rehearsing, travelling to the gig (sometimes we spend more time in the car getting to the gig than we do performing), setting up for the gig, or tearing down after the gig. It’s very possible to have 6 hours of prep for a one-hour gig.
Thirdly, Oregon’s 2025 prevailing wage rates (e.g. for electricians, ironworkers, painters, and truck drivers, among many other trades) run anywhere from around $50 to $100 per hour. Musicians are also skilled laborers; we deserve good wages too.