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

Alan Willaert

AFM Vice President from Canada


Wooden You Know It … Canadian Office Lobbies for Less Restrictive Pernambuco Regulations

As a member of the International Federation of Musicians (FIM), Canada was asked to participate in lobbying our government representatives who are attending the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), to vote against a proposal by Brazil (CoP19 Prop. 49) to move Pernambuco trees from Appendix II to […]

Read More

Playing Whac-a-Mole with Copyright Laws

In 1997, Canada signed the WIPO Copyright Treaty (WCT), one of two international treaties negotiated for the purpose of adapting copyright rules to new and emerging technologies. The treaty set out a number of protections that member countries are to provide to authors. Article 8 provides that authors of literary and artistic works shall enjoy the […]

Read More

More Silly Rabbits and Wily Coyotes

As I write this, Canadian locals have just attended a presentation by Lisa Freeman, executive director of the Canadian Private Copying Collective (CPCC). My sincere appreciation goes out to Freeman, who took the time to apprise those in attendance on the status and short-term objectives her team faces in anticipation of pending updates to Canada’s […]

Read More

Paying the Price for Union Strength

At the risk of being repetitive, I must lament at hearing nonmember musicians (and a disturbing number of members) parroting the corporate slogan: “perhaps there once was a need for unions, but not anymore.” Nothing could be further from the truth. Giving any credence to that statement is a recipe for disaster. Corporations, or any […]

Read More

Silly Rabbits and Wily Coyotes

Bill C11, the online streaming bill, passed its third reading in the House of Commons and has now landed in the Senate for approval. If passed, the bill would compel streaming platforms, such as Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime, Spotify, and others to add more Canadian content, or in the wording of the bill, “contribute in […]

Read More

Canadian Bargaining Roundup

“Apparently, some believe musicians are unworthy and should be afforded less rights than movie stars’ dog walkers.” As the sixth wave driven by the Omicron variant begins to fade, hope springs eternal that life may soon return to whatever normal will be. Bargaining with employers has been particularly difficult, since two-dimensional negotiating via zoom is […]

Read More

Denial Is Just a River in Egypt

For those who still believe conditions in the workplace are something you’re entitled to, you may be surprised that unfair labour practices (in Canada) were only defined and prohibited in 1938! While the Industrial Revolution of the 19th century gave birth to the labour movement in Europe and North America, there were many significant events […]

Read More

Union Thugs or Your Best Friend?

The pandemic has, among many other things, caused musicians to explore alternatives to live music, one being a pivot to digital. However, in doing so, members have often thrown caution to the wind and not bothered to cover their recordings with obligatory (and protective) agreements and report forms. Moreover, the desire to stay relevant with […]

Read More

Canadian Government to Provide a Resilience Fund

On February 1, 2022, the Government of Canada made a commitment to supporting the recovery of the arts and culture sector, which has been among the hardest hit throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The impact of renewed shutdowns and public health restrictions due to the emergence of the omicron variant have been particularly severe for the […]

Read More

Here We Go Again …

As the omicron variant pushes daily infections to the tens of thousands (in Ontario and Quebec), the provincial governments’ response has been to return to a modified Stage 2, once again precipitating capacity limits, along with complete shutdowns. This new wave of closures is particularly difficult because live performance workers were just beginning to get […]

Read More

NEWS