Some 400 composers and lyricists working in television and films have begun the process of joining the Teamsters Union in hopes of gaining better pay and benefits for their work, the Los Angeles Times reported today (Wednesday). In an interview with the newspaper, David Carbonara, who writes the music for AMC's Mad Men, noted that a composer usually is paid $7,000 to $13,000 per episode, but must also bear many costs. Carbonara turns out music for 13 episodes a week, but, he said, "You have to work 26 shows a year to earn a living. ... People don't understand what we go through." The Times pointed out that composers are among the few crafts people not covered by a union contract in Hollywood. However, following the disintegration of the Composers and Lyricists Guild of America after a disastrous strike in 1971, they have been forced to work as "independent contractors." Steve Dayan, business agent for Teamsters Local 399, said that bringing them in to the union "is not going to be easy, but these people make such an important contribution to the making of motion pictures and television shows, and what are they asking for? ... What everyone else gets on the set: health and welfare benefits and some sort of minimum pay standard and some basic working conditions."