Officer Columns, Vice President from Canada

Local 406 Is Back!

May 4, 2016

Difficulties had progressively mounted, as our third largest local, Local 406, was straddled with the overwhelming obligations of representing all musicians in the province under Status of the Artist.

AFM Media Convergence and Performance Rights, Part 4

May 3, 2016

In part four of this series we discuss the AFM’s role in advocating digital performance rights, and its partnerships with Sound-Exchange and SAG-AFTRA in royalty distributions.

Secretary-Treasurer Annual Report Synopsis

May 1, 2016

At the close of business 2015, I was pleased to report income over expenses of more than $1.3 million. This is the fourth year that the AFM has net income of a million. AFM Comptroller Michelle Ledgister and her staff are to be commended for keeping Federation finances on track, while working extremely short-handed.

Getting Back to the Music

April 15, 2016

Amid the flurry of day-to-day activities—being immersed in bylaws, finances, budgets, audits, and convention preparations—we tend to forget what we’re here for, the creative forces we represent: music, musicians, performers, and art.

AFM, Media Convergence and Performance Rights, Pt. 3

April 5, 2016

Part three of this series discusses how revolutionary systems in digital media production and distribution have converged, disrupting business models.

Fair Trade Music and the Importance of Organizing Club Musician

March 14, 2016

By the time you read this, the AFM Western Conference of Musicians will have taken place in Reno, Nevada. Local 76-493 (Seattle, WA) President Motter Snell is president of the conference this year, and has scheduled, as its centerpiece, a full day of discussions and training on organizing and Fair Trade Music.

The Music Business—Machine or Eco-System?

March 7, 2016

My friend, Local 149 (Toronto, ON). Senior Business Rep Dan Broome has bad days and good days—in other words, he ranges from highly intelligent to genius. One of his theories is that music is an eco-system, which upon reflection, is accurate.

An Empty Seat on the Supreme Court: What It Means for Unions

March 2, 2016

With the sudden death of Justice Antonin Scalia, I’m reminded of a time when I had the great pleasure of meeting and spending time with the late Justice many years ago.

AFM, Media Convergence and Performance Rights Part 2

March 1, 2016

The future of the Federation depends in part on its ability to bargain progressive media agreements despite global competitiveness and a burgeoning background of web-based, user-generated-content that has blurred the lines between broadcasting and other media across all elements of consumption.

AFM, Media Convergence, and Performance Rights

February 29, 2016

AFM, Media Convergence, and Performance Rights — To understand what is happening now in music and media, let’s look to our past to remember who we are, where we came from, and what we did, in order to help us see where we go from here.