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.

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Legislative Update

Federal Arts Connection

This is a source for information relating to federal grant making, performance, education, and research opportunities for musicians interested in project funding and international travel as artistic representatives of the US.


Senate Health Care Debate Timeline

The following timeline provides a sense of Senate action, along with a glimpse at the procedural difficulty encountered after the seven-year attempt to totally eliminate the ACA.


Deciphering Health Care

Once the process began in earnest, principal concerns came from Republicans who believed that the new health care bill should include provisions 1) to provide coverage for people with pre-existing conditions, 2) for those with employer-based health insurance, and 3) for cuts to Planned Parenthood.


Renewed Focus on Arts, Health Care, and Performance Rights

Republicans are looking to complete the repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), or Obamacare. The new legislation, which passed the House May 4 by a vote of 217 to 213 (with 20 Republicans and all Democrats voting against it), is now under consideration in the Senate.


The Power of Advocacy

In March, the AFM joined with more than 700 members of the labor and nonprofit communities to participate in the largest advocacy meeting of the year. Sponsored by Americans for the Arts, Arts Advocacy Day has become a national benchmark for the arts community.


Shedding Light on Federal Attacks on the American Working Family

If ever there was a time for workers, including musicians, to get engaged in the movement to protect jobs and benefits that promote healthy, secure workplaces and families, now is the time.


The AFM Federal Agenda: Air Travel with Musical Instruments, the Fair Play Fair Pay Act, NEA Support, and Fighting the National Right to Work Act

Talks with the Secretary of Transportation, led by AFM International President Ray Hair, helped develop and implement new carry-on rules that brought consistency to major and regional US air carriers, along with new tips for traveling musicians


The Extraordinary Musical Influences of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was born Michael King, Jr., in Atlanta, Georgia, January 15, 1929. As one of America’s most revered and effective advocates for social justice and racial harmony, he reorganized the civil and human rights movement in the US into a highly inclusive, nonviolent movement that elevated the conscience of a nation.


What the Loss of Net Neutrality Means to Musicians and the Music Industry

On December 14, 2017, the Republican majority at the Federal Communication Commission (FCC), led by FCC Chair Ajit Pai, voted to repeal Obama Administration net neutrality regulations put in place in 2015.


Post-Election 2016

For the AFM International Executive Board, AFM locals, and the AFM Office of Government Relations, these issues have driven our congressional agenda for many years and will remain the AFM’s core legislative issues.








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