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

Looking Back at Seven Years as AFM Secretary-Treasurer

For those of you who have not heard, I have made the decision to retire at the end of my term, which will be July 31. Therefore, this will be my penultimate column for the International Musician. This is the 83rd column I have written for the IM and my final column next month (July), […]


A Time to Reminisce

It’s all winding down for me. I’m honored to have had nearly 25 years as an officer in the AFM, two years as board member of Local 99 (Portland, OR), and 21 years as its president. And for the last 13 years, I’ve also been the AFM international vice president. That’s in addition to the […]


At Last!

Lire cette chronique en français: https://internationalmusician.org/enfin/ It was almost 30 years ago that the AFM International Executive Board (IEB) approved a document for use in Canada to cover theatrical motion pictures and episodic television film, which were considered Canadian content. More specifically, the productions had to comply with established criteria, such as certification through the […]


Enfin!

par Alan Willaert, vice-président de la FAM pour le Canada Il y a près de 30 ans, le conseil international de direction de la FAM a entériné un document pour le Canada s’appliquant au cinéma commercial et aux séries télévisées, qui étaient considérés comme du contenu canadien. Plus précisément, les productions devaient répondre à certains […]


Actors’ Equity, Touring Producers on Verge of a Strike

As I write this column over Easter weekend, my thoughts turn to the actors and stage managers who work and perform the Broadway touring musical productions across North America, represented by the AFL-CIO affiliated Actors’ Equity Association (Equity). For months, Equity has been negotiating with producers, represented by the Broadway League and Disney Theatrical, for […]


A Visit from the FIM Presidium

by Jay Blumenthal, AFM International Secretary-Treasurer Globalization has created the imperative for the AFM’s continued membership in the International Federation of Musicians or Fédération International des Musiciens (FIM). It has become increasingly important that the AFM has a seat at the table where conversations are taking place between musician unions around the world. Conversations include […]


Learn from the Past—Transform the Future

by Dave Pomeroy, International Executive Board and President of Local 257 (Nashville, TN) The AFM’s unique history demonstrates a steady pattern of labor and technology intersecting in ways that simply could not have been imagined by those who founded this union in 1896. The constantly evolving relationship between musicians and technology is well documented in […]


Big Test for Labour Is Imminent

The following embodies a previously submitted article. However, given the political polarization now inherent in our country and the significant radicalization permeating both provincial and federal politics, the urgency of this message is even more pronounced than when first written. Add to that the war in Ukraine, and parallels are evident. When the gavel dropped […]


FIM Presidium Visits AFM Office in New York

by Benoît Machuel, International Federation of Musicians General Secretary With the Presidium of the International Federation of Musicians (FIM)*, I had the privilege of being received by the AFM IEB on Tuesday, March 28, 2023, at the AFM headquarters in New York. Initially scheduled for March 2020, this meeting was postponed to December 2021 due […]


Post-pandemic, Unionism Is More Important Than Any Other Time in Our Lives 

It has been a treacherous road weathering the storm of the health crisis. People want to know if and when the pandemic will be over. Some think the pandemic is over when everyone acts like it’s over—no more masking or social restrictions—like we were doing before this all started.   If that’s true, people tired of […]








NEWS