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The New Symphony Opera or Ballet Integrated Media Agreement

January 27, 2015

On December 18, 2014, the AFM reached agreement with the Employers’ Electronic Media Association (EMA) for a successor Integrated Media Agreement (IMA) covering symphony, opera, and ballet orchestras working under collective bargaining agreements in the US.

Organizing and Research – A One-Two Punch

January 27, 2015

It has often been said that organizing is the lifeblood of the labor movement. Without a doubt, there is nothing more powerful than workers coming together and marching in lockstep toward a common goal. Whether it’s pushing for worker-friendly legislation, bargaining contracts, addressing issues on the shop floor, or fighting for union recognition and respect from our employers and the industry, we must either organize or perish.

AFM Cellist Appointed to Order of Canada

January 27, 2015

Cellist Denis Brott, a member of AFM Local 406 (Montreal, PQ), was appointed Member of the Order of Canada in December 2014.

Union Members Among 30 Highest Paid Musicians

January 27, 2015

Several union members were among Forbes’ list of the highest earning musicians. The figures include money from touring, record sales, publishing royalties, merchandise, endorsements, and other business ventures, during the June 2013 to June 2014 fiscal year

Republicans’ First Target: Social Security

January 27, 2015

As the Republican majority House of Representatives got to work in January, they set to work to cut Social Security almost immediately. Buried in a package of rule changes, was a provision that the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare (NCPSSM) says would: “allow a 20% benefit cut for millions of disabled Americans, unless there are broader Social Security benefit cuts or tax increases improving the solvency of the combined trust funds.”

One Million Workers Could Lose Health Care

January 27, 2015

A Republican bill (H.R. 30) passed by the House could strip health care coverage for one million workers, plus add some $53.2 billion to the federal deficit over the next decade, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

Trade Deals Bad News for Working Americans

January 27, 2015

Trade policies, being negotiated in secret, are among the items working Americans should be concerned about in 2015. Among them, the Trade Services Agreement (TISA), the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), and FastTrack authority are set to cost Americans jobs and increase inequality across the US and around the world.

Our Music Is a Statement for Peace

January 27, 2015

On January 7, the world was once again shocked by a despicable act of terrorism, this time on the streets of Paris. And also again, the world turned to music to respond to and attempt to recover from the scenes of hatred, even though it is impossible to make sense of such heinous acts.

Midwinter Meanderings: Finding Union Resources

January 27, 2015

Roadblocks. Every now and then we have all run into them and we face a choice: stay where we are or find a detour. It sometimes seems there are roadblocks everywhere we turn. Some of them can be maneuvered around easily, where others require pretty significant detours.

Bill Would Give Jobs to Aliens Over Qualified US Workers

January 27, 2015

The Immigration Innovation Act of 2015, or I-Squared, introduced by Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and five co-sponsors would flood the computer-related workforce with hundreds of thousands of temporary guest workers every year.