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World Chat / Sex & Drugs and..Pensions
« on: June 27, 2003, 12:03:00 PM »
Rock'n'Roll!
Alan
June 27, 2003
Sex and drugs and . . . pensions
By Grainne Gilmore and Paula Hawkins
THEY are the unsung heroes of rock ’n’ roll — the men and women who tune guitars, set up amplifiers and drive the band from town to town. Save for the occasional homage from songsmiths of a more grateful bent, the common “roadie” rarely merits more than a footnote in the “sex and drugs and rock ’n’ roll” histories of many great bands.
But that may all be about to change — at least, if Billy Bragg, the singer-songwriter has his way. At Glastonbury today, Bragg will launch the Roadcrew Provident Syndicate (RPS), a scheme to offer financial advice tailored to the needs of roadies too old to rock, but too young to die.
The venture is intended to improve the lot of roadcrew operatives, many of whom struggle to buy insurance and pensions from mainstream firms. It’s not quite the fame and glory that many of their bosses enjoy, but it’s a start. Bragg says that insurers are unwilling to cover individuals who spend part of their working day dangling from rigging 60ft in the air, while pensions providers shun the craft because of the sporadic nature of employment. As a result, many fall into financial hardship once they hang up their blue suede shoes.
One roadcrew member said: “I know a lot of roadies who have fallen by the wayside due to a lack of financial security.”
RPS, which has chosen for its logo a skull and crossbones, will be run by the GMB union.
For a fee of £2 a month, roadies will have access to a stakeholder pension from Premier Financial Protection, an independent financial adviser owned by GMB.
Bragg said: “Roadies do everything short of playing the guitar. It is important that they have advice and help.”
Although joining the syndicate will mean automatic membership of the GMB, Bragg said the syndicate would not be a union “in the strict sense”.
from Today's Times
Alan
June 27, 2003
Sex and drugs and . . . pensions
By Grainne Gilmore and Paula Hawkins
THEY are the unsung heroes of rock ’n’ roll — the men and women who tune guitars, set up amplifiers and drive the band from town to town. Save for the occasional homage from songsmiths of a more grateful bent, the common “roadie” rarely merits more than a footnote in the “sex and drugs and rock ’n’ roll” histories of many great bands.
But that may all be about to change — at least, if Billy Bragg, the singer-songwriter has his way. At Glastonbury today, Bragg will launch the Roadcrew Provident Syndicate (RPS), a scheme to offer financial advice tailored to the needs of roadies too old to rock, but too young to die.
The venture is intended to improve the lot of roadcrew operatives, many of whom struggle to buy insurance and pensions from mainstream firms. It’s not quite the fame and glory that many of their bosses enjoy, but it’s a start. Bragg says that insurers are unwilling to cover individuals who spend part of their working day dangling from rigging 60ft in the air, while pensions providers shun the craft because of the sporadic nature of employment. As a result, many fall into financial hardship once they hang up their blue suede shoes.
One roadcrew member said: “I know a lot of roadies who have fallen by the wayside due to a lack of financial security.”
RPS, which has chosen for its logo a skull and crossbones, will be run by the GMB union.
For a fee of £2 a month, roadies will have access to a stakeholder pension from Premier Financial Protection, an independent financial adviser owned by GMB.
Bragg said: “Roadies do everything short of playing the guitar. It is important that they have advice and help.”
Although joining the syndicate will mean automatic membership of the GMB, Bragg said the syndicate would not be a union “in the strict sense”.
from Today's Times