Tina Morrison

International Executive Board Member and President of Local 105 (Spokane, WA)

Protecting the Right to Organize Means Better Working Conditions for Everyone

October 1, 2024

In 1998, I was a newly elected secretary-treasurer of AFM Local 105 (Spokane, WA). Our president was Jimmy Bee Nixon, a rock ‘n’ roll bassist originally from Bakersfield, California. I remember complaining to him about the unfairness musicians face in our work. I also clearly remember the sparkle of mischief and challenge in his light […]

Negotiations with Studios Begin the New Year and Unite Hollywood Entertainment Unions

February 1, 2024

I’m hopeful that many of our members have followed the ongoing AFM Fair Share for Musicans campaign on social media and the AFMfairshareformusicians.org website over the last few weeks. In advance of our scheduled negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), AFM members organized a kick-off rally and press conference on […]

It’s Time to Show Others What Our Union Is About

October 1, 2023

We have seen a lot of labor actions this past summer. Chances are they’re going to continue for a while. It’s driving meaningful changes to how all working people are perceived and valued. Seeing musicians supporting each other and supporting other union members by participating in leafleting and picketing is inspiring! Activism is the heart […]

The Power of Music Versus the Power of Musicians

January 1, 2023

Have you heard conversations about “third-partying” the union? The concept separates the union from its members as another entity, a third party. It is a deliberate narrative that undermines our collective power. The power of the union is in our numbers, musicians banding together using consensus to work toward common goals. Hopefully, you understand that […]

Time to Inspire and Organize

July 1, 2022

What an amazing time this is, complete with dramatic challenges and remarkable possibilities. Plague, war, and social and economic upheaval coexist with a real desire to change the work-life balance and find meaning beyond accumulation. There seems to be an enhanced awareness of individual needs, which must be balanced against others’ needs. We are in […]

Starting the New Year Clean and Fresh

January 1, 2022

Looking back at the past couple of years makes me think of a laundry cycle. Throw everything into the machine, it fills with water. Then, the soaking begins, followed by a lot of agitation, rinse, and spin. Then it’s either thrown into the dryer or hung out to dry. At the end of the cycle, […]

“We the Willing”

July 1, 2021

We’ve all been through a particularly rough year and a half, but the situation is improving, people are gathering, and work is coming back. It’s exhilarating to reconnect with colleagues and bandmates and perform in front of live audiences again. But there’s something else: we have to remember that the “good old days” were not so good. Many workers struggled to cover basic needs, even while working long hours providing essential services. We have an opportunity to change the narrative, to build power and create a better future. I firmly believe that musicians and music making are an essential part of achieving this generational correction.

It’s 2021, and the Buzz is About Building Back Better

January 1, 2021

Each one of us experienced this past year differently, a totally unique experience. For me, time sped by so fast that it felt like a month passed with every blink of the eye. I haven’t really had time to process it all yet. Glimpses of the shutdown, gathering, sifting, disbursing information as quickly as possible, […]

Now is the Time to Unite, Not to Unravel

June 29, 2020

We are in the most dangerous moment of my lifetime, but the reason is not the obvious one you may think. The real danger is that we lose our will and give up. Instead, let’s use this time to do our internal work, build strength, and dream. I draw strength from my local, AFM 105 […]

Eating the Elephant One Bite at a Time

January 15, 2019

Union activism has been growing over the past several years as workers have come to understand that the strength of their union relies on them. The goal of every contract negotiation is to take steps forward, or, as a mentor of mine says, we “take a bite”—referring to the old story about how to eat […]