Since the last AFM Convention in 2023, the leadership team of the AFM has been working diligently to bring our union up to a new level of solidarity, efficiency, and accessibility. Times have changed, and so have we. Our organizing and engagement efforts are increasing exponentially, and despite the difficult political climate, we have been able to make some progress with legislation in Washington, DC, working with both sides of the aisle.

We have been working to recruit new members and increase our footprint in as many ways as possible. The more our members are engaged and willing to unite and stand up for themselves, the brighter their future will be. We have more power than we allow ourselves to realize sometimes, and we should never take that for granted.

As the music industry evolves, there are always new challenges, many of which come from technology-based initiatives. As an AFM member, you can protect yourself by documenting your work under one of our many contracts. This creates an intellectual property trail that greatly increases your ability to get what you deserve from all of the potential revenue streams out there. We are all in this together, and the bottom line is that you are not alone. We stand ready to help protect you and your work. It’s the right thing to do.

In our two recent negotiations with the film and TV industries, we got significant protections against the misuse of artificial intelligence (AI). AI is obviously a hot topic, and one that the AFM is very tuned into. We are in the beginning of Sound Recording Labor Agreement (SRLA) negotiations with the major record labels, and once again, the consequences of AI and generative AI for musicians are at the top of our list. Fake artists, fake music from real artists, and fake songwriting demos are popping up everywhere. Personally speaking, I believe that over time, the proliferation of AI generated music is going to make authenticity that much more valuable as listeners get bored with so-called “perfection.”

Here at Local 257 (Nashville, TN), we’re fortunate to be part of a community of creators and employers who have a tradition of respecting each other. Of course, there are a few unfortunate exceptions, but we been very active in engaging the publishers, labels, independent artists, and freelance musicians in our community to understand the value of an AFM contract.

The fact is, recording under an AFM contract benefits the employer in a number of ways, including creating a work for hire scenario that eliminates the need for a separate work for hire document from the employer. In addition, the AFM contract ensures that if a song is used for film, television, commercials or any other new use, whether now or decades from now, the third party employer, not the artist or label, pays the musicians. Without an AFM contract, what musicians make that day is all they will ever make for the future use of their work.

Despite all the challenges, technology has presented musicians with the undeniable power of artistic creativity, whether in live performance or in the studio. It remains a huge part of our modern day culture. Music brings people together in ways that cross multiple cultural boundaries and defy expectations. Two people who can not have a civil conversation about politics or religion can find common ground standing next to each other in a music venue, listening to a performer they both enjoy.

The music business doesn’t have to be a win-lose situation. It can be a win-win if everyone treats others as they would want to be treated. In these complicated times, that simple fact rings true now more than ever. One powerful song can make a big difference in people’s lives, and if you were a part of that recording, you deserve a fair share for what you contributed. When we work together with honesty and solidarity, and continue to stand up for each other and for our union, it makes a huge difference.

Our collective energy is a power not to be taken lightly—in an increasingly divided world, music is one of those few gifts that can help break down barriers in a positive way. You are not alone—we have the power when we work together for the greater good of all of us.

I was going to title my column “Everything’s Going to Hell in a Handbasket,” then I came across The Temptations’ song “Ball of Confusion (That’s What the World Is Today),” recorded in 1970 against the backdrop of racism, social injustice, and civil unrest in America. It’s an apt title for today.

To say that we live in volatile times could be considered an understatement but here we are. Above the 49th parallel, aka “the 51st state,” as some individuals would have us believe, we look on alarmed at the disruptive forces at play south of the border. ICE and National Guard deployment, citizenry being stripped of their fundamental rights, arbitrary detentions, forced deportations, blatantly ignoring indigenous peoples’ rights, curbing academic freedoms, mocking disabled persons, gutting arts funding, gutting the National Labor Relations Board (NRLB), relentless efforts to repeal the Affordable Healthcare Act, attacks on journalistic freedoms—the list goes on and on. 

We are told what we see and what we hear with our own eyes and ears did not actually happen. Our collective sense of security and trepidation is further heightened by the ongoing threats of the Trump administration to annex Canada and other sovereign countries. Adding to this, globally, is war and political instability: Ukraine, the Middle East, Africa. It’s a good time for the arms dealers. But, I digress.

Thank goodness we have the arts is all I can say! In all times, and even more so now, art, music, theatre, film, poetry, and story bring us solace and inner peace. They help soothe our anxieties, give meaning to our feelings, and shine a mirror on injustice, pain, and suffering. They uplift us with hope and love, joy and human connection—the arts let us know that “everything’s gonna be alright.” 

Musicians through their music have always reflected the times. Music has served as a catharsis—a powerful tool for social commentary and unity throughout the ages. And every genre—symphonic, opera, jazz, rap, folk, and more—has reflected the human condition. On both sides of the border, AFM members inspire, entertain, and transport audiences away from fear, hatred, and loathing. Music enriches our souls. It is fundamental to our collective well-being, which makes it even worse when creativity is hijacked by defunding the very institutions that the arts rely on.

During times of upheaval, great organizations and their people rise to meet the challenges that have beset them. Our union and members are no exception. Together, we have persisted through world wars, pandemics, the introduction of sound and recording, disruptive technologies and distribution systems, labour strife, financial meltdowns, and more. How? By adhering to and supporting our mission to unite professional musicians across the United States and Canada, enabling them to live and work with dignity, receive fair compensation for their labor, and have a meaningful voice in decisions that affect them.

Our AFM leadership and staff are working hard to build a stronger AFM. In both countries, our national collective agreements are addressing generative artificial intelligence, focusing on consent, credit, and compensation. The AFM has significantly expanded education offerings to local officers and staff. We now have an Organizing department that is assisting organizers with winning campaigns. We’ve enhanced freelance, symphonic, and theatre services and resources to better serve you. Our Government Affairs Office is actively promoting important policies that matter to musicians. On the global stage, the AFM is respected and building stronger alliances with our sister entertainment unions.

Resilience was an oft used term during the pandemic, guiding us as we pivoted and adapted to COVID-19. I would now add we all need fortitude to go the distance. 

In this ball of confusion, there is no room for complacency, we must collectively double down our efforts on both sides of the border. Thankfully, we have our union at our back. When we fight together, we win!

After years of performing in nightclubs, bars, restaurants, and recording sessions that paid more in promises than in actual checks, I’ve come to see the freelance music world differently. What once looked like a smattering of gigs and side hustles now feels like something bigger, an incredible labor force that holds up an entire industry.

Back in the ’90s, when I was recording on indie labels and chasing every paying gig I could find, I never thought of myself as a “worker.” None of my colleagues did either. We saw ourselves as artists just trying to make it, grateful for every opportunity, even when the pay was unstable or nonexistent. We didn’t even think about rights, and we definitely didn’t think we had leverage. Chaos was par for the course.

Today, as a longtime union officer, I have come to see things with new eyes. Not only are freelance musicians workers, but we are a mighty labor force, ready and willing to organize. You all know it, we create value for festivals, bars, restaurants, venues, streaming platforms, and record labels, yet we’re often treated like we’re replaceable. In many ways, we can be our own worst enemies! When Joe Blow Bar owner offers us $30 and a sandwich for a gig and we turn it down, there is always another musician ready to take $20 and no sandwich! We need to stop undercutting ourselves and agree that there must be a minimum wage for us, and it ain’t no freakin’ sandwich. If we want to build a real, modern labor movement in music, it has to start right where so many of us got our start: in the bars, the clubs, and the DIY scenes.

The first step is simple: we need to meet freelancers where they are. Don’t wait for them to come to a union hall. Club bands, singer-songwriters, jazz players, DJs, and indie producers live in WhatsApp groups, Discord threads, open mics, rehearsal spaces, and studio chats. Our organizers need to come from that same world, people who speak the language, and who know the hustle. And we have to offer real help upfront: contract templates that actually protect us, quick dispute resolution, gig protection, clear advice on rates and royalties, and guidance on health and safety. When the union shows up usefully, it starts to feel relevant.

After years of underpayment and disrespect, a lot of freelancers assume that no one’s coming to help. Changing that mindset means showing that we are the ones we’ve been waiting for. When people see others like themselves organizing, setting standards, and winning, it changes everything.

Local unions can hold listening sessions, form freelancer councils, and partner with community venues to set fair minimums. Even small wins—guaranteed meal breaks, cancellation fees, transparent payment schedules—send a powerful message: you don’t have to take whatever comes your way.

We also need to move with the times. Musicians today build careers on TikTok, Bandcamp, Patreon, and Twitch, and in home studios. We must fight for digital rights, fair streaming compensation, and protection against AI misuse, but also help musicians collect the royalties already owed to them. The same DIY energy that shaped the indie scene in the ’90s is alive and thriving and we should be right there with it, not chasing from behind.

Lastly, this can’t just be about contracts. It’s a cultural project. Musicians are storytellers by nature. If you think about it, organizing is another form of storytelling: it’s how we reclaim our dignity, our community, and our ownership of what we create. When musicians see organizing as part of their creative life, it stops feeling foreign and starts feeling personal.

I believe our future lives in the same places where so many of us began: the late-night gigs, the cramped studios, the noisy bars, and the backrooms where songs are born. If we organize there, from the ground up, we can build a movement strong enough to lift every musician from the orchestra pit to the corner stage.

Canada plays a vital role in enhancing the diversity of the AFM. While Canadians and Americans share a supportive and harmonious relationship within the Federation, recognizing the distinct characteristics of each country helps foster greater mutual understanding.

First, a few figures: Canadians represent 21% of AFM’s membership. There are 24 Canadian locals, with the largest being Local 406 (Montreal, PQ) with 3,113 members, Local 149 (Toronto, ON) with 2,504 members, and Local 145 (Vancouver, BC) with 1,462 members.

Linguistic Duality: Canada distinguishes itself by officially recognizing both English and French at the federal level under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Official Languages Act. Quebec’s only official language is French, while New Brunswick is officially bilingual. About 22% of Canadians speak French as their first language, concentrated in Quebec (82%) and New Brunswick (30%). In contrast, the US Constitution does not designate official languages.

Music Industry Landscape: Canada’s music industry is heavily influenced by independent labels, especially in Quebec, where French-language content is prevalent. The ADISQ (Québec Association for the Recording, Concert and Video Industries) association represents many independent record companies and has agreements with Local 406. For film and television, the Association Québécoise de la Production Médiatique (AQPM) handles French-language productions, while the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) focuses on English-language content.

Federal and Provincial Cultural Responsibilities: Cultural matters in Canada are shared between federal and provincial governments. The Canadian Radio and Television Council (CRTC) oversees communications, and the Canadian Heritage ministry supports the arts, languages, multiculturalism, and sport. Federal support for the cultural sector comes through agencies such as the Canada Council for the Arts, Telefilm Canada, Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings (FACTOR), and Musicaction. Major national institutions include CBC/Radio-Canada, Library and Archives Canada, the National Film Board (NFB), and the National Arts Centre.

Provinces also play a significant role through agencies like the Ontario Arts Council, Music BC, and the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, each providing public funding for the arts. Quebec stands out for its cultural independence and dedicated institutions, prioritizing French-language content and funding through Société de développement des entreprises culturelles (SODEC) and Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec (CALQ). Quebec’s Ministry of Culture and Communications spearheads efforts to safeguard the French language, and the province operates a network of music conservatories.

Laws Protecting Artists: Canada has unique laws governing the professional relationships between artists (as self-employed workers) and producers, ensuring recognition of associations, and establishing collective bargaining as a requirement. Quebec’s 1989 law recognizes AFM Local 406 as the sole representative in Quebec for professional musicians and permits binding arbitration in disputes. At the federal level, the Status of the Artist Act of 1992 applies to federally regulated corporations like CBC/Radio-Canada and the NFB.

Canada’s Distinctive Status in the AFM: The Federation’s Bylaws acknowledge Canada’s unique position. For all activities within Canada, the AFM is known as the “Canadian Federation of Musicians/Fédération canadienne des musiciens.” Canada is represented on the AFM International Executive Board (IEB) by a Canadian vice president elected by Canadian delegates. In 2023, for the first time, two Canadians were elected as IEB officers by all delegates, reflecting growing international unity. The Bylaws further accommodate Canada’s linguistic realities by providing translations and adjusting for legislative differences, particularly in labor and trade union law.

Canadian and American musicians are united within the Federation—one family, diverse but committed to living and working with dignity, as stated in Article 2 of the AFM Bylaws.

La spécificité du Canada au sein de la Fédération : l’unité dans la diversité

par Luc Fortin, membre du conseil de direction international (IEB) de l’AFM et de la section locale 406 (Montréal, Québec)

Le Canada enrichit la diversité de l’AFM tout en maintenant une relation harmonieuse et solidaire avec ses homologues américains. Il est important de souligner les caractéristiques propres à chaque pays pour favoriser une compréhension mutuelle optimale.

D’abord quelques chiffres : les Canadiens représentent 21 pour cent des membres de l’AFM, et sont répartis parmi 24 sections locales dont les principales sont Montréal (3113 membres), Toronto (2504 membres) et Vancouver (1462 membres).

La dualité linguistique canadienne : À la différence des États-Unis, qui n’a pas de langue officielle reconnue par sa constitution, le Canada reconnaît deux langues officielles au plan fédéral : le français et l’anglais en vertu de la Charte canadienne des droits et libertés et la Loi sur les langues officielles. Le Québec désigne le français comme seule langue officielle, tandis que le Nouveau-Brunswick est la seule province officiellement bilingue. Environ 22 % des Canadiens parlent principalement le français, essentiellement au Québec (82 %) et au Nouveau-Brunswick (30 %).

L’industrie de la musique : Les labels indépendants occupent une grande part de la production musicale, surtout au Québec où le contenu francophone est important. Les maisons de disque indépendantes du Québec sont regroupées au sein de l’ADISQ, qui a des ententes avec la GMMQ, la section locale 406 de l’AFM. Pour le film et la télévision, l’Association québécoise de la production médiatique couvre les productions en français tandis que la Canadian Media Producers Association s’occupe du contenu anglophone.

Compétences culturelles fédérales et provinciales : Les responsabilités culturelles sont partagées entre le gouvernement fédéral et les provinces. Le fédéral, par l’entremise du CRTC et de Patrimoine Canadien, réglemente les communications et soutient la culture et les langues officielles. Il offre aussi un soutien financier à l’industrie culturelle par le truchement d’organismes comme le Conseil des arts du Canada, Téléfilm Canada ou Factor-Musicaction, et gère des institutions nationales telles que la SRC/CBC, l’Office national du film et le Centre national des Arts. Les provinces soutiennent aussi les arts, les musées, les festivals et le patrimoine régional. Le Québec se distingue par son autonomie culturelle, sa politique de protection du français et ses institutions propres comme la SODEC et le CALQ.

Les lois sur le statut de l’artiste : Au Canada, des lois protègent les artistes indépendants et encadrent leurs relations avec les producteurs, prévoyant la reconnaissance d’associations, la résolution des différends et la négociation collective. Au Québec, la loi de 1989 reconnaît la GMMQ (section 406 de l’AFM) comme seul organisme habilité à représenter les musiciens professionnels, ce qui a mené a l’époque à la fusion des trois sections locales en une entité unique. La loi prévoit aussi le recours à l’arbitrage en cas d’impasse lors d’une première négociation.

Le statut distinctif du Canada au sein de l’AFM : La spécificité canadienne est reconnue dans le Règlement intérieur de la Fédération. L’organisation porte le nom de « Canadian Federation of Musicians/Fédération canadienne des musiciens » pour ses activités au Canada. Le Canada est représenté à l’exécutif international par un vice-président canadien élu par les délégués canadiens. L’AFM traduit les règlements, ententes et certains articles en français, ce qui est apprécié des membres francophones.

En conclusion, les musiciens canadiens et américains forment une grande famille diversifiée mais unie, « afin de vivre et travailler en toute dignité » (article 2 du Règlement intérieur de l’AFM).