Composers and songwriters could achieve important and substantial improvements in their professional situation thanks to the activities of U.N.C.L.A.’s Deputies of departments at the S.I.A.E.

U.N.C.L.A. has already undertaken a strong Union campaign for the protection of composer's and songwriter's rights and fair remuneration.

In the difficult area of author-publisher relationship, U.N.C.L.A. representatives managed to find
Appropriate solutions and to give more voice and weight to composer's and songwriter's professional state.

FIXED SCHEMES FOR RIGHTS SHARING
An agreement regarding the minimum allocation of Royalty shares was reached by U.N.C.L.A. deputies of the Music Department of S.I.A.E.

The new legislation was intended to avoid unfair allocation for composers/song writers and to stop them having to accept the humiliating practice of denying paternity of their own work, in favour of the publisher or other authors, in return for a one-off payment.

EVERGREENS
In 1977, after long and tough negotiations, U.N.C.L.A. deputies of the Music Department of S.I.A.E. were able to ensure proper remuneration for the use of those works which, after at least 20 years since their publication, are still broadcast or performed in dance halls, on Radio or TV, on records, in Italy and abroad. Those works are now awarded a premium over the original rights.

PERMISSION ABROAD
When transferring works abroad, the Publisher is no longer allowed to transfer to a foreign sub-publisher the Author’s share together with his own allocation. This new agreement prevents the publisher from being the only one to benefit from such a transfer in terms of advance payments, performing and reproduction rights fees.

PRIVATE RADIO AND TV CHANNELS
In September 1982, U.N.C.L.A. promoted a press campaign to denounce the abusive refusal by private broadcasting channels to pay copyright fees to composers and songwriters when broadcasting their works. This situation applied to all categories of authors's work: Music, Cinema, Theatre.

Since S.I.A.E. is the institution charged with the protection of rights, U.N.C.L.A. urged it to take legal action against whom ever refused to pay the rightful fee to the composers/song writers. Those fees are composer's and songwriter's only retribution for their work.

SOCIAL SECURITY AND ASSISTANCE
National Fund for the Assistance of Composers, Songwriters and Librettists of popular music "MARIO SCHlSA".
In 1965, U.N.C.L.A. Executive Committee and Assembly created a national fund. The intention was to give financial support such as maintenance and contributions for health care's expenses to its members or to the family of deceased members who are in proven state of need.

In 1970 the Italian Prime Minister appointed it Charitable Foundation and as such entitled to receive government financial support. This support, together with the members' enrolment fees, S.I.A.E. contributions and the help of generous fellow authors, created this important fund.

Entitlement to make application to the National Fund is open to members of any composer’s and songwriter’s Union.

Its main activity is dedicated to helping those composers and songwriters who do not have any social security and whose maintenance may become a problem in their old age.

From its foundation until the year 2000,the National Fund has helped over 800 composers and songwriters in proven financial distress, and a total of € 284.050,00 (550 million of Italian lira) has been spent to support them.