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.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE AFM



Home » Recent News » AFM-EPF Submits MPRA Application to U.S. Treasury Department


AFM-EPF Submits MPRA Application to U.S. Treasury Department

  -  

On December 30, 2019, the American Federation of Musicians and Employers’ Pension Fund (AFM-EPF) submitted an application to the U.S. Treasury Department to reduce benefits under the Multiemployer Pension Reform Act (MPRA) in order to prevent the Plan from becoming insolvent. “We know that our participants have anticipated this difficult moment for some time. Now that the application has been completed and submitted, we can provide important information about how each participant would be affected by the proposed benefit reductions if the application is approved by Treasury,” according to a statement from the Fund trustees posted on www.afm-epf.org.

On January 6, the Fund office mailed a packet of information about the MPRA application to all participants and beneficiaries of deceased participants. This mailing includes three documents, all of which are important for participants to read in full:

• Personal Benefit Estimate Statement ― Personalized statement showing participant’s estimated benefit as of January 1, 2021 should the reduction be approved and go into effect.

Difficult Choices Newsletter ― Overview of what’s happening and why.

• Official Notice of Proposed Reduction ― Official notice of the Plan’s application to reduce benefits, including important information about participant rights.

In addition to the copies that participants will receive via U.S. mail, the Difficult Choices newsletter and Official Notice of Proposed Reduction are available now on the Recent Mailings page of the Plan website, under the “Stay Informed” tab.

Participants who have registered on the Plan website can access their Personal Benefit Estimate Statement by logging into the Participant Portal at www.afm-epf.org and clicking on the MPRA Benefit Estimates icon. Participants who have not yet registered may do so by clicking on the link in the heading of the plan website.

The AFM-EPF will continue to keep participants informed throughout the MPRA process via the Pension Fund Notes e-newsletter. It will also maintain resources on the Plan website, including the Frequently Asked Questions page and the MPRA Benefit Reductions page, which contains a description of each component of the proposed benefit reduction.







NEWS