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.

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Officer Columns

New RMALA President to Serve L.A.’s Diverse Musician Community

I am grateful for this opportunity to introduce myself, write on behalf of the Recording Musicians Association Los Angeles (RMALA) members, and to provide some perspective on RMALA to all the members of our union. This past spring, RMALA President Pete Anthony stepped aside after years of distinguished and successful service. In September, the executive […]


If You Have Performed on a Sound Recording in the Last 50 Years, MROC May Have Money for You!

Pursuant to AFM Bylaws, the vice president from Canada sits on the Musicians’ Rights Organization Canada (MROC) Board of Directors, and given the importance of this entity to musicians, I am proud to do so. However, many members still do not know about this important source of revenue for musicians. You must register in order […]


BEA Reports on How Arts Sector Impacts GDP

The US Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) have released prototype estimates from the new Arts and Cultural Production Satellite Account (ACPSA). This is the first federal effort to look at the arts and cultural sector’s impact on gross domestic product (GDP) and provides national estimates for the […]


Negotiations in Progress:Film, Jingles, and Symphonic Media

As we close a dynamic and energetic 2013 and look ahead toward a productive new year, negotiations for constructive, successor media agreements with the film, jingle, and symphonic employment sectors will dominate my work schedule early on. That said, despite the contentious nature of labor negotiations, the bargaining table is a place I relish because […]


Getting a Top Hit Isn’t What It Used to Be

It has been a long time since I went to a record bin looking for the hottest new single, or since I took one of our own band’s new releases to various radio stations, trying to convince the DJ or station manager that they should play our tune.


Stronger Together: An Interview with President Hair

by Gail Kruvand, AFM Local 802 Executive Board The following article was reprinted from the November 2013 issue of Allegro, the magazine of AFM Local 802 (New York City). For more information, visit: Local802afm.org. For this interview, President Hair spoke with Local 802 member and bassist Gail Kruvand, who serves on the Local 802 Executive […]


A Tale of Four Bassists

Tina Morrison – AFM International Executive Board Member and President of Local 105 (Spokane, WA) Last summer I witnessed a conversation between four bassists at our local and I have been ruminating on the information exchanged. One bassist is of retirement age (not from music); one is in his early 20s. Two are symphonic performers. […]


AEMI Meeting with US Copyright Office

I am pleased to report on a remarkably constructive meeting between the US Copyright Office (USCO) and the Arts, Entertainment, and Media Industries Committee (AEMI) that took place in late October. The meeting not only identified a number of topics for further discussion, but one USCO staffer even ensured that her requests for public comment […]


AFM and Union Plus Have Your Back

Whether it is negotiating fair agreements, protecting ownership of recorded music or securing benefits such as healthcare and pension; AFM is always working hard for you and your families. But did you know that Union Plus is also working hard for you and your family? Through our strategic partnership with the Union Plus programs, active […]


Orchestra Board Should Feel Heat for Lockout

Below is the text of my speech given at a rally in downtown  Minneapolis on October 1, 2013, the one-year mark of the Minnesota Orchestra lockout. You can see it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_SOO_PxEHg. We come together today to mark what happened exactly one year ago—the board of directors of the Minnesota Orchestra Association decided to use […]








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