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

IM



Face Time or Screen Time?

I come from the pre-computer/pre-smartphone era of writing letters and making telephone calls with a rotary dial phone (I even remember our family sharing a “party line”). In this electronic age, many of us feel challenged to maintain communication that has more substance than an impersonal conference call, quick text, or group email.

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Revenue Sharing in Symphonic Media Agreements—When Are You Owed Money?

What exactly is revenue sharing and how does it work under symphonic media agreements? Those are questions we frequently hear in the Symphonic Services Division. Join me now on an exploration of everything you ever wanted to know about the subject of revenue sharing.

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Wage Charts: A New Tool to Look into the Symphonic World

With the support of the Symphonic Players’ Conferences we created a new website dedicated to wage charts from both a historical and comparative standpoint. Data from the collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) has been collected in wage charts for many years.

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Keep Your Voice Strong, Keep Your Voice Focused

Orchestra musicians enjoy a unique representational structure. Our voice to the employer is strengthened, and perhaps made more credible, through the participation of our elected colleagues who serve on orchestra and negotiating committees alongside elected union officials.

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Focus on AFM Symphonic Services

This month’s symphonic issue of the International Musician contains a broad range of articles that I believe will be of interest to the entire membership. Our cover story features Weston Sprott, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra trombonist. Sprott’s interests include work as an artist/clinician, educator, and advocate for music education.

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A 40-Year Union Perspective, My Final Offer

In 1976, as a first-time negotiating committee member with the Tulsa Philharmonic, our committee was frustrated by the fact that we were totally on our own in guiding our negotiations.

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Why the AFM? Collective Action Across the Generations

The Symphonic Services Division (SSD), created in response to demand from player conferences, functions exclusively to support symphonic musicians and their local unions.

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ROPA: A Decade of Growth

I have served on the ROPA Board for more than a decade. During that time, I’ve watched the organization grow from 68 member orchestras to 87.

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Canadian Postal Strike Looming

Pensions for new hires is one of the main sticking points as talks between Canada Post and its 50,000 unionized workers go down to the wire, with the post office warning services could come to a halt by July 2.

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Genelec 8430 Smart Active Monitoring

Genelec 8430 Smart Active Monitoring (SAM) studio monitor enables direct monitoring of audio-over-IP stream content.

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