Officer Columns, Secretary-Treasurer

Need Health Insurance? Check Out the Working America Health Care Program

October 1, 2014

Did you know an unexpected trip to the hospital could cost you and your family nearly $2,000 a day? The hefty price tag does not even include prescription drugs or medical procedures, which easily can add up to tens of thousands of dollars. It’s no joke. Roughly 62% of all bankruptcies in the US are […]

The Too Much Information Age

October 1, 2014

The downside of the information age is that far too often there is just simply too much information. The constant barrage of images, data, and noise coming at us from every angle makes it an ongoing challenge to extract the meaningful from the trivial, but that is exactly why music, art, and creativity still matter.

Carry-on Talks with DOT: We Have Liftoff

October 1, 2014

By the time this column is published, the AFM and the US Department of Transportation (DOT) will have convened a second historic meeting at DOT headquarters in Washington, DC, to address the difficulties professional musicians face when traveling by air with musical instruments. Our initial meeting was convened in July by DOT Secretary Anthony Foxx […]

Canadian Update: Local 145 Trusteeship Ends

October 1, 2014

AFM Local 145 (Vancouver, BC) has been removed from trusteeship and control of the AFM according to a September 11 BC Supreme Court ruling. The trusteeship and controversy began in June 2013, when it was discovered that Local 145 had entered into an agreement with the owner of Vancouver Film Orchestra (VFO) in relative secrecy, […]

CFM Moves Forward with a Full Dance Card

September 2, 2014

One year into this term of office, we look back on a year of internal conflict and turmoil on the Canadian scene. While continuing to look for the best solutions for all concerned, there is much work to be done, especially in the area of negotiations.

Is It Time for a Coverage Check-Up?

September 2, 2014

When was the last time you looked at the fine details of your insurance policies to make sure you are getting adequate coverage, and not over-paying for that coverage? The US Small Business Administration recommends annual reviews of insurance policies. Below I have detailed some insurance policies designed for musicians and offered to AFM members.

What’s in a Family?

September 2, 2014

The answer to that is plenty! Our union, like most families, is not perfect; it is within that imperfection that we usually are able to work out some of our issues and grow. If this is true about biological families, it is also true of our AFM family.

NLRB to Issue Complaint Against Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra in the Absence of Settlement

September 2, 2014

by Jennifer Garner, AFM Counsel On March 14, I filed a charge against the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra with Region 18 of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), alleging unlawful interference with the administration of a labor organization.

Games the Employers (and Agents) Play

September 1, 2014

Even before it received rank-and-file approval late last month, the AFM’s new Video Game Agreement was already in use in Los Angeles, despite a crusade against it by an assortment of Hollywood employers and composers who were offended two years ago when the International Executive Board jettisoned a 2006 agreement because it contained inferior wages […]

2014 TMA Conference Welcomes Its Newest Chapters

September 1, 2014

The 19th Annual Theatre Musicians Association (TMA) Conference was held at the Holiday Inn, Fort Worth, Texas, August 11-12. TMA Dallas-Fort Worth Chapter President and Local 72-147 (Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX) member Brian Brown, Local 72-147 Secretary-Treasurer Stewart Williams, and myself welcomed the attendees.