President’s Message

As I write this column, I am preparing to travel to Athens, Greece, for an important conference that will discuss artificial intelligence (AI) and streaming on the global stage. “Music in the Digital Age: Streaming and AI” is an international gathering that brings together artists, industry professionals, academics, journalists, legal experts, policymakers, and technologists to study the future of music rights.

Creative industries worldwide are being reshaped by the rapid rise of AI-generated content and the dominance of streaming platforms. As musicians, we join other creatives who face unprecedented challenges as revenue streams are disrupted and legal frameworks have not kept pace. The conference will provide me with an opportunity to explore, with other leaders in our global creative economy, how performers, unions, and collective management organizations (CMOs) can adapt, negotiate, and shape a better future. I will provide a synopsis next month.

Preparations for negotiating a successor Sound Recording Labor Agreement (SRLA) with the major labels continue. Details of this agreement covering musicians hired to produce sound recordings was the subject of last month’s column. We are asking for member input and support as we work toward a progressive agreement. I will keep you informed as negotiations develop.

Strikes Averted on NYC Stages

October has been a busy month for Broadway negotiations with AFM musicians and actors threatening strikes over stalled contracts with The Broadway League. Both the AFM Local 802 and Actors’ Equity Association began negotiations in August but had seen little progress by mid-October.

The League had offered unacceptable wages along with reduced benefits and jobs, yet these workers risk their health and safety, while sharing their talents, so the shows can go on. Both Local 802 and Equity demanded that their members be treated with dignity.

While Broadway pit musicians represent a small fraction of AFM membership, what happens on Broadway reflects what is happening in theaters in North America and Puerto Rico. These negotiations have implications for musicians working in the theatrical trade industrywide, as well as other entertainers. Their priorities—livable wages, fair work rules, and health care—are important to all working musicians.

The struggle of Broadway musicians is a cause close to my heart, as I played trumpet in Broadway shows during the early years of my career. I served for many years as a member of the contract negotiation team for the Broadway Theatre Committee, as president of Local 802 (New York City), and as a member of the AFM Pamphlet B and Short Engagement Touring Theatrical Musicals agreement.

More than 14,000 members of the public signed a letter of support for Broadway musicians and actors, recognizing the humanity of workers and the value of their labor, and promising not to cross the picket line in the event of a strike.

The letter began: “I am a Broadway supporter, someone who loves spending my time being transported by the exciting, moving, and often magical worlds created on stage by the most talented artists in the world. The actors, musicians, stage managers, and everyone else who create these experiences eight times a week are why I spend my money on tickets, show after show.” It continued with a pledge of solidarity with the musicians, actors, and stage managers who make Broadway the best theater in the world.

The AFM received letters of support from elected leaders, including New York City and New York State politicians, as well as bipartisan members of Congress. They all recognized the cultural and economic contributions of Broadway musicians. (See article on page 6.)

These important negotiations were also watched internationally, with letters of support coming from both the British Musicians’ Union and the International Federation of Musicians (FIM). The FIM letter read, in part: “We commend your steadfast dedication to securing fair wages, stable health care, job security, meaningful employment, and the safeguarding of vital benefits for all musicians. The demands you have raised—reflecting the urgent need for remuneration that aligns with Broadway’s success, strong and reliable health benefits, protection against reductions in orchestra minimums, and stabilizing freelance musicians’ income—are entirely justified and align with the core principles we advocate for professional musicians worldwide.”

FIM’s willingness to stand with us shows that the fight for dignity, fair wages, and secure working conditions for musicians transcends borders. The international music community was united in support for this cause. The world was watching as we urged The Broadway League to recognize the artistic and economic contributions of these incredible artists and negotiate a fair agreement.

On October 18, Equity announced it had reached a tentative agreement on its Production Contract with the League after an all-night negotiating session. Al Vincent, Jr., Actors’ Equity executive director and lead negotiator, said they would now bring the deal before their members for ratification and that they were putting their “full support behind Local 802 as they work with the League to reach a deal that averts a strike.”

Less than a week later, on October 23, Local 802 Broadway musicians announced that a tentative agreement with the League had been achieved after another all-night session, thereby averting a planned strike.

Meanwhile, singers, dancers, and staging staff of the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) have been bargaining for a new contract with the New York City Ballet (NYCB) since May. Their current contract expired August 31, and they are now performing without one. AGMA has been negotiating in good faith, and while they have seen some progress, management’s current proposal does not recognize the value of the performers’ work or even meet the rising cost of living in New York City.

An AGMA post from October 8, the evening of the Ballet’s annual Fall Fashion Gala, states, “The AGMA dancers and stage managers at the New York City Ballet are united. We remain optimistic that we can work with the NYCB so it can remain an industry leader in its treatment of artists. We’ll keep you updated as we continue pushing for a fair contract that reflects the value of our work.” The musicians of the NYCB, members of Local 802 (New York City), stand united in solidarity with these performers.

First, I must say, I am proud to see so many musicians standing up during this time of political turmoil. During the past few months, we have witnessed unprecedented attacks against due process and freedom of speech on our streets, in our classrooms, and in our workspaces, most recently with the suspension of the Jimmy Kimmel Live! show.

Now is the time to make good trouble and not to remain isolated in our homes and silent in our grief. I am proud that so many of you took up the challenge at the Musicians Against Dictators Rally in Cleveland and Labor Day marches held around the country (see page 20). We are not only fighting for our right to organize, but we are fighting for the constitutional freedoms we once took for granted.

Preparations for SRLA Negotiations

The SRLA—the Sound Recording Labor Agreement with the major labels—is set to expire on January 31, 2026. This contract covers the essential terms and conditions under which musicians are hired to produce sound recordings, and it is one of the most significant agreements for professional recording artists. Our collective goal is simple: to secure a fair, forward-looking agreement that fully addresses the realities of the modern music landscape.

We want every working musician—from independent creators to those working in major studios—to know that your voices and concerns are driving this entire negotiation strategy.

Protecting Artistry from AI Displacement—Musicians’ creative control and financial future are at stake, particularly given the rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI) technology. AI threatens to diminish the value of human artistry, making it an urgent priority to negotiate strong protections and fair compensation.

Beyond the bargaining table, the union is providing the structure for musicians to be a leading voice in the international conversation on rights. We are actively working in Washington to ensure musicians have a decisive say in how their work is used, sampled, or imitated, advocating for strong mandates that require consent, credit, and compensation.

Expanding Economic Security and Benefits—For too long, access to critical benefits like health insurance and retirement plans has been uneven. We recognize that every working musician deserves these safety nets. Musicians are actively working to expand and improve health and welfare benefits within this contract. Furthermore, the union is actively lobbying Congress and collaborating with the AFL-CIO to advocate for a single-payer system that would provide universal relief to our members.

The Bargaining Mandates Come from the Musicians

The union is building its strategy and demands directly from musician input in order to negotiate an agreement that protects and uplifts their work in the digital age. This contract must ensure that musicians are not only protected from technological displacement but are also fairly compensated for the value their artistry generates.

To achieve this, the following steps are being taken to build the demands directly from the musicians’ ranks and ensure a contract that reflects their needs:

• Bargaining Group Survey: As the union works on priorities for the SRLA contract’s overall structure, members who have worked under previous SRLA contracts will receive a survey. The survey will help identify priorities, including questions about wages, AI protections, health benefits, workload, safety, workplace policies, and organizing independent labels. Your responses increase our power.
• Contract Action Team (CAT): This group of musicians includes voices from all sectors of the recording industry. The CAT will meet regularly to develop and refine the demands, which will be directly incorporated into our core bargaining proposals.
• Open Forums: We are launching a series of member meetings with the CAT, Electronic Media Services Division (EMSD), and AFM leadership beginning this fall. These platforms will give direct feedback to the negotiation committee and provide an opportunity for members to ask questions about the process. Our ability to secure progressive agreements that include these essential protections comes from our unity.

The AFM has the collective power and resources to negotiate with the major labels, production companies, and government entities. Together with EMSD Director John Painting, who continues to provide expertise and guidance on contract language, I am committed to securing contractual provisions that guarantee AI acts as a creative tool rather than a substitute for human artistry. This involves advocating for safeguards that protect musicians’ income and artistic legacy.

The AFM’s strength comes from our collective voice, and that voice is loudest when we create fair standards for everyone in the music industry. However, indie labels are not signatories to the SRLA contract. To close this gap, we’re launching a new initiative through the AFM Organizing Department to work directly with independent musicians, to bring awareness to the various AFM agreements that may more appropriately provide the compensation and protections they deserve.

In addition to contributing your voice through the CAT and the survey, I hope you will become an advocate for this effort. Tell others about AFM recording contracts and how they benefit and protect musicians. Invite nonmember musicians to learn more and join our union.

Your participation in the coming months will be the single most important factor in securing a groundbreaking and equitable SRLA for every working musician. Let’s build a strong contract and a stronger union, together!

As I write this column, I am headed to Cleveland, Ohio, to attend the Theater Musicians Association (TMA) and the International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians (ICSOM) conferences. These are the last two events of a busy conference season. I feel inspired by meeting so many officers, delegates, and union members in person this summer. The players and regional local conferences offer opportunities to hear directly from AFM officers, voice concerns, and build solidarity.

The past few months have been a blur of travel, with navigating ever-changing flight schedules and battling jet lag, while hopping between time zones posing a logistical puzzle. This summer’s travel challenges were a stark reminder that I can’t be everywhere at once. I was very disappointed to miss the Midwestern Conference due to a flight cancellation, and the Regional Orchestra Players Association (ROPA) conference because of a schedule conflict with the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) convention.

However, sometimes tough choices must be made. The essential work of the Federation continues, and expanding our union presence and building relationships with our allies must be a priority. You have heard me say before that now, more than ever, it is crucial to build relationships with allies both in other unions and internationally. To that end, I attended the International Federation of Musicians (FIM) Congress held in June in Geneva, Switzerland, along with AFM Vice President from Canada Allistair Elliott and Symphonic Services Division (SSD) Director Rochelle Skolnick. I described this conference in more detail in my column in the August issue of the IM.

Also on the international stage, I had the honor of being a featured speaker at the British Musicians’ Union (MU) Delegates’ Congress held in Liverpool, England, in July. I updated the MU delegates on the current political and labor challenges in the US. I discussed common priorities and concerns, such as prohibitions on the export of Pernambuco, copyright issues, and the threat of artificial intelligence. It was fascinating to learn more about their processes and hear from British musicians who face many of the same challenges we do. The MU and the AFM will continue to have a close and collaborative relationship.

Returning to the US, I had the privilege of being invited to address the IATSE 70th Quadrennial Convention of Delegates. Speaking before the convention was a powerful sign of our continued solidarity, especially as we navigate common workplace issues around artificial intelligence and copyright protection. There isn’t a single sector of the entertainment industry that the AFM participates in that doesn’t include our colleagues in IATSE. It is critical that the AFM and IATSE maintain a strong relationship.

Because of a scheduling conflict with the IATSE Convention, I had to make the very difficult decision to miss the ROPA Conference. While it was disappointing not to be there, the Federation was well represented by AFM Secretary-Treasurer Ken Shirk, Government Affairs Director Ben Kessler, and SSD Director Skolnick. The SSD staff was on-site in Philadelphia, presenting a full-day workshop on negotiating for orchestras to nearly 30 delegates and local officers.

In August, this year’s Organization of Canadian Symphony Musicians (OCSM) Conference and Canadian Conference were held together in Toronto, Ontario, for the first time since 2012. It was encouraging to see many Canadian Conference leaders and OCSM delegates working together to improve our union. The gathering also celebrated the 50th anniversary of the first OCSM Executive Board.

Attending the conference in Toronto provided me with an opportunity to address the inequity that Canadian musicians face when crossing the border to perform in the US. The present timetables and costs for P-2 visas are unacceptable. We will continue to push for policy change through meetings with members of Congress who have jurisdiction over immigration policy and oversight of the Department of Homeland Security. Music is an economic driver, and we must demonstrate the harm caused when shows and tours are canceled. Please continue to share your stories with us. We are listening and tirelessly working to fix this broken system.

Ahead of the Western, Eastern, Southern, Midwestern, and Canadian conferences, the Federation hosted two-day educational sessions for local officers. These sessions, led by Director of Organizing Gabe Kristal, Electronic Media Services Division Director John Painting, and Freelance Services and Membership Development Director Wages Argott, provided officers with valuable resources and a forum to exchange ideas. I couldn’t be prouder than I am right now with the level of engagement all of our AFM directors have with AFM local officers and members.

AFM Secretary-Treasurer Shirk represented the AFM at conferences this summer, along with many of our department directors. I would like to thank all the AFM directors and staff members who also spent much of the summer traveling. Our staff returned from player and local conferences tired but energized, with many ideas for improving conditions for locals and members.

September brings with it a return to a more regular schedule, but the work doesn’t stop. In fact, it’s ramping up with the start of new negotiations. The AFM International Executive Board meeting this month will be an opportunity to regroup and strategize following our busy summer. A major focus of our agenda will include preparing for the upcoming Symphonic, Opera, and Ballet Integrated Media Agreement and Sound Recording Labor Agreement (SRLA) negotiations.

This is a critical moment for our union and our members as we strive to secure a strong agreement that addresses the economic realities of today’s music industry, including issues of streaming royalties, residuals, and the use of new technologies. We are committed to fighting for a contract that protects and elevates the work of our professional recording musicians.

The International Federation of Musicians’ (FIM) 23rd Congress was held from June 25-27, at the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Geneva, Switzerland, hosted by the Swiss Musicians’ Union (SMV-USDAM). The conference brought together delegates from musician unions from around the world. I attended on behalf of the AFM along with Vice President from Canada Allistair Elliot and Symphonic Services Division Director Rochelle Skolnick.

Opening speeches emphasized the importance of social dialogue and intellectual property, with Davide Jäger (co-president of SMV-USDAM), Daniel Lampart (general secretary, SGB-USS), Frank Hagemann (director of ILO Sectoral Policies Department), Clair Ruppert (deputy director, ACTRAV), and Sylvie Forbin (deputy director general, World Intellectual Property Organization). FIM President John Smith concluded the opening ceremony, recalling FIM’s most recent accomplishments and highlighting current threats and opportunities.

The congress adopted a number of resolutions reflecting the concerns of musician unions worldwide. High-level debates took place on numerous issues, including:

Artificial Intelligence (AI): The congress agreed that AI models trained on protected content must obtain authorization from rights holders, that composers and performers receive proper credit, and that any use of their work by AI is fairly remunerated.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI): The congress agreed to create a regional network of “women’s desks” to enable member unions to better identify obstacles to equal participation in music and to share best practices. It also called for an international FIM conference on EDI in the music sector, adopted a firm stance against blackface, and demanded pay equality between permanent and substitute musicians.

Freelancers: The congress urged governments to recognize all freelance and independent musicians as workers under national labor laws.

The congress program featured three panels involving top international experts.

• Collective Bargaining for Independent Workers, moderated by Edith Katiji (FIM vice president, Zimbabwe), with panelists Karen Curtis (chief, Freedom of Association Branch ILO), Allistair Elliott (AFM vice president, Canada), Margherita Licata (technical specialist, ILO), and Naomi Pohl (general secretary, British Musicians’ Union).

• Impact of the Rise of On-demand Radio on Broadcast Royalties, moderated by Horace Trubridge (FIM vice president, United Kingdom), and featuring Tilo Gerlach (GVL, Germany), Mike Huppe (SoundExchange, USA), Peter Leathem (PPL, UK), and Pál Tomori (EJI, Hungary).

• Collective Agreements in the Field of AI, where I served as a moderator along with Beat Santschi (FIM vice president, Switzerland), Dominick Luquer (general secretary, FIA), Johannes Studinger (director, UNI MEI), and Xavier Beaudonnet (chief of collective bargaining unit, ILO).

Keynote speakers were Maité Llanos, director of the Geneva office of the ITUC, who highlighted the significance of the conclusions reached during the ILO tripartite meeting for the arts and entertainment sector in February 2023; César André Machado de Morais, general coordinator of copyright regulation at the Ministry of Culture of Brazil, who introduced the Brazilian AI bill aimed at providing creators with genuine protection; and Mike Huppe, CEO of SoundExchange, who outlined the challenges presented by AI for the music sector.

The congress elected FIM officers and an executive committee for the next four years. John F. Smith (UK) was reelected president. I was proud to be elected as a vice president along with Karin Inde (Sweden), Edith Katiji (Zimbabwe), Irene Monterroso (Costa Rica), and Beat Santschi (Switzerland).

FIM emerged from this congress strengthened in its role as a global leader in defending musicians’ rights, with updated strategic policy aims and a renewed commitment to support its members worldwide. The AFM’s robust participation in this global organization is a critical part of our work to effectively represent our members as we continue to confront challenges that know no geographic boundaries.

Eastern Music Festival Rally

Following the FIM Congress, I flew directly from Geneva to Greensboro, North Carolina, to support Eastern Music Festival (EMF) faculty and musicians. My speech at their concert and rally reflected my disappointment, frustration, and outrage with the festival’s leadership.

This year’s festival was canceled, not because there wasn’t enough money or enough students who wanted to attend. Rather, the leadership had decided to punish the musicians who only wanted to be respected and treated fairly.

The musicians came together to join the union because they wanted fair compensation, to have a voice in their workplace, and because they wanted to partner with the leadership of EMF to keep it the world-class festival it has been for so many years. However, instead of bargaining fairly, the festival’s management punished not only the talented musicians but also the students and community that benefit from their extraordinary performances and tutelage at EMF.

I call on Eastern Music Festival leadership to get back to the bargaining table and work with these committed musicians and their union and to bargain a fair agreement that ensures that this festival will continue to endure, in stature and excellence, for the students, the community, and the faculty of musicians, for generations to come.

You can read more about the struggle of the musicians of the Eastern Music Festival and their rally here.

Before 2010, New York and Los Angeles were the leading centers for film scoring. Due to producers’ desire to cut costs, most nonsignatory film scoring has been done overseas in recent years. Although scoring makes up a small portion of a blockbuster film’s budget, often less than .05%, by 2018 most film productions that didn’t have union agreements had moved their scoring overseas. Many of these recordings are now made by nonunion orchestras in Central and Eastern European countries.

This spring, one of our primary focuses has been on state lobbying efforts to ensure that more motion picture and television scoring work is done in the US and Canada.

California: A Stronger Voice in Sacramento

The AFM has taken a strong, proactive stance to ensure musicians’ voices are heard in Sacramento by joining the Entertainment Union Coalition (EUC). This multi-union alliance is dedicated to advocating for entertainment industry members on public policy issues in California and collectively represents over 165,000 workers in the state’s entertainment sector.

I have appointed Local 47 (Los Angeles, CA) President Stephanie O’Keefe and AFM Director of Government Affairs Ben Kessler as our liaisons. Thanks to their work and dedication, the AFM now has a seat at the table among the other arts and entertainment unions and guilds, including California IATSE Council, Directors Guild of America, LiUNA! Local 724, Teamsters Local 399, Writers Guild of America West, and SAG-AFTRA.

The EUC has been a vocal advocate for the entertainment industry in discussions around California Governor Gavin Newsom’s 2025-2026 budget. When production companies are bound by our contracts, and more film and television production takes place in California, that means more work for AFM members. It is clear to me that Newsom’s proposed expansion of the California Film and Television Job Program to $750 million will benefit working musicians. The increase will make California’s incentive program competitive with those in other countries. It will do so as a true jobs package.

We thank our members and AFM local leaders throughout California who submitted letters of support for AB 1138 and SB 630 to key chair and committee members in Sacramento during April. These film and television modernization bills are critical to bringing back film and television jobs, strengthening the domestic entertainment industry, and ensuring California remains a global center for film and television.

New York State: Celebrating New Scoring Incentives

Last month, we celebrated new tax incentives for film scoring in New York State. To fight the offshoring of music scoring through legislation, AFM and Local 802 officers and staff, including former President Sara Cutler and current President Bob Suttmann, Financial Vice President Karen Fisher, and Chief of Staff Dan Point, traveled to Albany to lobby state legislators and build meaningful relationships.

Under a new provision, producers have a financial incentive to score their made-in-New York projects in the state. If they hire at least five musicians to record a qualified project in New York, they will receive a 10% uplift rebate or tax credit on scoring costs from the state, on top of the standard 40% credit. If scoring is conducted in Upstate New York, there is an additional 10% uplift, meaning producers could see rebates of scoring costs as high as 60%.

I appreciate New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s support for this legislation. This has been a passion project of mine since I became president of Local 802 in 2010. It is essential that the tax credit program truly benefits all aspects of the New York State creative economy, including AFM scoring musicians.

New Jersey: Closing Loopholes for Domestic Work

We are currently working with AFM local union leaders in New Jersey on film tax incentive legislation to ensure that film scoring work is produced domestically.

The Garden State Film and Digital Media Jobs Act, passed in 2018, gives tax credits to attract film and digital media productions to New Jersey. To get the tax credit, producers must spend a certain amount on hiring in-state workers and spend a certain amount on in-state vendors. It’s a great program, establishing New Jersey as a top-tier filmmaking destination but there is no direct incentive to keep the film scoring work at home.

Local 16-248 (Newark, NJ) President Tony Scally and Local 16-248 Executive Board Member Dave Schneck, along with Local 62 (Trenton, NJ) President Buzz Herman and Local 399 (Asbury Park, NJ) President Jim McIlvain and Secretary Curt Morton, have been working steadily to help move the bipartisan S4392 and A4382 bills through the New Jersey legislature. These crucial bills, sponsored by Senator Joseph Lagana for S4392, and Assemblymembers William Sampson, Barbara McCann Stamato, and Dawn Fantasia for A4382, aim to incentivize producers to hire domestic musicians for scoring sessions, rather than outsourcing the work to Europe. More information can be found at www.nj.fairsharemusic.org.

Continuing the Fight for AFM Member Jobs

Of course, this work extends beyond the impact of tax incentives; the important work to ensure more jobs for AFM members across the US and Canada continues. The AFM is committed to increasing work opportunities for all members under Electronic Media Services Division (EMSD) recording contracts by actively engaging with both musicians and local officers. This includes offering education, resources, and support to ensure proper contract filing and compliance. The EMSD works to demystify the various AFM agreements, from the Sound Recording Labor Agreement (SRLA) to specialized contracts for low-budget projects and new media.

By highlighting the advantages of union contracts—including fair wages, pension and health contributions, and residual payments for “new use” and supplemental markets—the AFM empowers members and encourages employers to participate, ultimately broadening union opportunities in the constantly changing recording industry.