Now is the right time to become an American Federation of Musicians member. From ragtime to rap, from the early phonograph to today's digital recordings, the AFM has been there for its members. And now there are more benefits available to AFM members than ever before, including a multi-million dollar pension fund, excellent contract protection, instrument and travelers insurance, work referral programs and access to licensed booking agents to keep you working.

As an AFM member, you are part of a membership of more than 80,000 musicians. Experience has proven that collective activity on behalf of individuals with similar interests is the most effective way to achieve a goal. The AFM can negotiate agreements and administer contracts, procure valuable benefits and achieve legislative goals. A single musician has no such power.

The AFM has a proud history of managing change rather than being victimized by it. We find strength in adversity, and when the going gets tough, we get creative - all on your behalf.

Like the industry, the AFM is also changing and evolving, and its policies and programs will move in new directions dictated by its members. As a member, you will determine these directions through your interest and involvement. Your membership card will be your key to participation in governing your union, keeping it responsive to your needs and enabling it to serve you better. To become a member now, visit www.afm.org/join.

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Organizing

Update on OCSM’s 44th Annual Conference

OCSM’s 44th Annual Conference will be held August 12-16 in Hamilton, OH, which will provide an overview of OCSM’s part in the industry.


Solidarity Is the Heart and Soul of a Strong Union

The financial woes of our AFM Employer Pension Fund have created a serious challenge to our union solidarity.


2019 Symphonic Player Conference Schedule

Here is a list of the 2019 symphonic player conference schedule including the ROPA Conference, TMA Conference, OCSM/OMOSC Conference and ICSOM Conference.


Musicians Organize to Create Fair Streaming Agreements

Even as our national government is mired in anti-labor policies and politics, the entertainment industry has experienced pioneering organizing over the past few years. Actors, writers, even video game workers, are organizing, acting, and gaining improvements. For musicians, our need to participate in the new streaming economy is an existential imperative.


TMA and Building Solidarity

Solidarity is at the heart of the TMA. A primary goal is to strengthen relationships with the Federation and the AFM locals.


ICSOM Orchestras Remain Key Community Partners

ICSOM will continue to promote the relationships between our orchestras and their public. Last summer’s ICSOM Conference highlighted four such programs.


OCSM Prepares for Upcoming Conference

The Organization of Canadian Symphony Musicians (OCSM) will hold its annual conference at the Sheraton Hamilton Hotel in Hamilton, Ontario, August 12-16.


ROPA Notes Busy Start to 2019

The 36th ROPA Conference will be held this summer in Boston, Massachusetts, July 28-30. There will be a negotiations workshop Saturday, July 27, for orchestras negotiating new CBAs in the current and coming year.


Report on the 2019 AFL-CIO MLK Civil and Human Rights Conference: The Fierce Urgency of Now

The 2019 AFL-CIO MLK Civil and Human Rights Conference was held January 18-21 at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C.


Time to Get Organized: Training Session Inspires Union Leadership

My colleague, fellow Local 433 (Austin, TX) member Aaron Lack and I hopped on a plane to Washington, DC, at the beginning of December. We were headed to American Federation of Musicians Leadership Training. The AFM hosted the three days of training with leaders from the AFL-CIO Organizing Institute at the Tommy Douglas Conference Center in Silver Spring, Maryland.








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