Musicians
Good agents will tirelessly work to find you gigs.
Good agents deserve commission for their efforts.
10-15% of your gross earnings is a fair wage for an agent.
If an agent secures your work,
Pay for service.
Agents
Charging for rendering service is fair.
It's ethical to charge for your work when your efforts create a product.
Your product is creating financial results for your client.
Documenting your efforts and showing your work is responsible.
You can add value by only charging for the work you do.
What's the problem?
The problem is that it's difficult for many agencies to document their efforts (time, expense, communications) to secure work on your behalf.
The problem is that some cruise lines use automated systems to schedule their employees, making the agent's role non-existent.
The problem is that no one likes to pay commissions.
None of what I just said are the actual problems.
There are, based on my experience, several actual problems:
Agents do not track their activities and cannot report their efforts.
After the initial introduction, an agent may not be spending the same amount of time, money, and effort to rebook their client. The commission rate may not reflect effort expended.
Musicians do not understand the contract terms.
Agents do.
Possible solutions.
Agents: document your efforts! You are asking people to pay a portion of their income to you. You have an ethical responsibility to show your work and justify your paycheck.
Agents: If your work does not justify your percentage, adjust the scale after the first 365 days of employment. Year 1 commissions are 10%; year two onwards are 2%. Think of how that places your client's experience ahead of profits.
Musicians: learn and know the terms of your representation contracts.
In the End
Agents are salespeople.
If they put in the work, they deserve to eat.
Agents have an ethical responsibility to show their work.
If they show their work, commissions are fair.
Agents are salespeople.
If you don't need salespeople, agents aren't for you.