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

Officer Columns, Secretary-Treasurer

Activists Needed!

When negative things happen in the workplace that affect people adversely, things that are unjust or unfair, musicians are moved towards activism because they realize, if things are going to change, they need to get involved.


Canadian Federation of Musicians Bargaining Roundup

The summer and fall of this year have shaped up to be negotiation-heavy. While exhausting, we see this as an opportunity to secure better wages and benefits for our members who work under those agreements.


AFM-FIM Conference: Musicians Are Entitled to a Fair Share of the Streaming Pie

At the AFM-FIM conference on October 2 and 3 in Burbank, CA, AFM and FIM members will discuss fair pay for musicians in television and streaming.


Two New IM Initiatives for Members

A member new recording listing will now be a regular section in the print magazine, (see page 22), plus the Gig Labs email blast will introduce subscribers to new gadgets and gear through a regular e-mail blast and provide a low-cost advertising option for entrepreneur members with products to sell.


Union Contracts Strengthen Our Union in the Digital World

Working off-contract creates the kind of divisiveness employers look for to unravel union strength. Only by insisting that everything you do is on an AFM contract, can we hope to prevent further erosion.


Theater Musicians Association—25 Years of Workplace Involvement

TMA is the newest AFM player conference. It began its journey 25 years ago, and is now comprised of chapters organized among locals that negotiate local agreements with theatrical venues and presenters that book Pamphlet B tours.


Musicians Foundation: Offering Support to Professional Musicians and Their Families for More than 100 Years

Founded in 1914, Musicians Foundation is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to providing financial assistance to musicians and their families in times of need, crisis, or transition.


Networks Feel Street Heat at Negotiations

The #RespectTheBand campaign resonated—prompting coverage from Variety and Deadline Hollywood. Never before had concerted activity toward the networks and their source-program producers occurred on such an aggressive scale.


Career Pathways: A Potential Bridge to Diversity

Our program, officially titled “AFM Local 47 Career Pathways Program,” launched last month with funding from the Verdugo Workforce Investment Board (or as those of us who sit on these boards call them “the WIB”).


Copyright Reform: Why Bother?

On May 29, I appeared before the Heritage Committee and, on June 5, before the Committee on Industry, Science, and Technology, all part of the statutory review of Canada’s Copyright Act. Why is this important, and how does it affect you, our members?








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