Officer Columns, President's Message

AFM Endorses Hillary Rodham Clinton for President of the United States

October 4, 2016

The November 8 general election will mark a turning point in American government and history. America’s values are on the line and it is up to each and every registered voter to weigh in and select a president that shares our values as workers

What Is RMA and What Does It Do?

September 30, 2016

As we reach out to colleagues we are frequently asked, “What is the Recording Musicians Association, or RMA? What do you do?” The first answer is that we are a player conference of the AFM. The next question is often, “What’s that?”

Fort Worth Musicians on Strike!

September 30, 2016

For the last few years, I’ve taken great pleasure in announcing at each AFM and symphonic player conference that there currently are no ongoing symphony orchestra strikes or lockouts within the AFM. Unfortunately that is no longer the case. On Thursday, September 8, 2016, the Dallas-Ft. Worth Professional Musicians’ Association, Local 72-147, sent out a […]

My First Year as a Local Officer

September 30, 2016

On August 11, 2015, I became the Secretary-Treasurer of Local 105 (Spokane, WA) after having been a rank-and-file member since 2002.

isoHunt Settles as Five-Year Copyright Act Review Approaches

September 21, 2016

In the upcoming five-year review of the Canadian Copyright Act, certainly one of the hot topics under scrutiny will be Internet service provider (ISP) liability. At the start of 2015, a new Canadian law came into effect called the “Notice and Notice” regime. It requires that all ISPs to forward copyright infringement notices to customers suspected of downloading unauthorized content like movies, TV shows, and music.

Building a Partnership with Municipal Government

September 19, 2016

That lesson should not be applied solely to our membership and our organizing efforts, but also to our advocacy and partnership work with municipal governments and agencies

Mandatory Electronic Filing for Forms LM-2, LM-3, and LM-4

September 12, 2016

Recently the US Department of Labor distributed a communication that will impact all those filing Forms LM-2, LM-3, and LM-4 Labor Organization Annual Reports. This includes AFM Locals, regional AFM Conferences, and AFM Player Conferences.

100th Convention Epilogue: The Quest for Fairness for Subs and Extras

September 1, 2016

A resolution that provoked considerable debate during the recently concluded 100th AFM Convention was Resolution 20—“Extras and Subs in Orchestras”—a measure which sought to address the disparity in wages and working conditions that exists in many orchestral collective bargaining agreements for substitute and extra musicians, as compared to those of their seasonally-contracted colleagues.

2016 Diversity Committee Report to the 100th AFM Convention

August 15, 2016

The Diversity Committee had a full agenda at the 100th AFM Convention. Following is a summary of the committee’s activities.

AFM Representatives Participate in 21st Congress of FIM

August 10, 2016

The International Federation of Musicians (FIM) held its 21st Congress in Reykjavik, Iceland, June 7-9. Attending and representing the AFM were Vice President from Canada Alan Willaert, International Executive Board member Tino Gagliardi, and International Vice President Bruce Fife.