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.
January 9, 2014
According to Art Pulaski, executive secretary-treasurer of the California Labor Federation, California labor has led the way in bringing real equality and progress to California’s working families. Among the achievements and reforms listed on the website for the California Labor Federation were: minimum wage increased to $10 by January 2016; expanded access to driver’s licenses […]
Read MoreJanuary 9, 2014
According to Britain’s The Stage, exploitation of entertainment industry performers and low-paid workers is on the rise, and the problem is only being compounded by decreased funding for arts organizations. In a report to the Low Pay Commission’s 2014 consultation, UK’s Equity claimed that its members are frequently being asked to work for nothing. Equity […]
Read MoreJanuary 9, 2014
Hip-hop artists in Tunisia have formed their own union, the National Rap Union, which is affiliated with the General Confederation of Tunisian Workers. Italian news agency Ansa reports that the union is not so much about securing fair work contracts as it is about standing up for their rights. Last month Tunisian rapper Klay BBJ […]
Read MoreJanuary 9, 2014
In the largest AFL-CIO organizing victory of the year so far, 7,000 Vermont home care workers voted to join Vermont Home Care United, a part of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). In what is the largest organizing victory in Vermont history, the workers gained bargaining rights with the state government […]
Read MoreJanuary 9, 2014
According to a report from researchers at University of California, Berkeley, most fast food workers are paid so poorly that they are forced to enroll in public assistance programs, despite the industry making $200 billion in profits each year. “The taxpayer costs we discovered were staggering,” says the report’s co-author Ken Jacobs, chair of UC […]
Read MoreJanuary 9, 2014
A new scholarship program established through a $60 million gift from Bruce and Suzie Kovner will allow 25 Kovner fellowships to The Juilliard School beginning in 2014, with a gradual increase to 52 by the year 2018. The fellowships will pay the full cost of attendance for classical music students selected on the basis of […]
Read MoreJanuary 9, 2014
Now that the Affordable Care Act is in effect, the AFL-CIO and Working America would like to make sure it is successful. Part of that is ensuring working Americans have all the information they need to take advantage of their new health care options. The website www.WorkingAmericaHealthCare.org is a resource where working families can find […]
Read MoreJanuary 9, 2014
I am grateful for this opportunity to introduce myself, write on behalf of the Recording Musicians Association Los Angeles (RMALA) members, and to provide some perspective on RMALA to all the members of our union. This past spring, RMALA President Pete Anthony stepped aside after years of distinguished and successful service. In September, the executive […]
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