Executive Board Members

Money Makes the World Go Round

February 1, 2014

Vince Trombetta – AFM International Executive Board Member and President of Local 47 (Los Angeles, CA) Throughout the last few years it has been impressed upon you the serious state of the Federation’s finances. The Federation has a number of strengths, but in years past, its finances have become its Achilles heel. Under AFM President […]

The Art of Giving Back

January 9, 2014

Music is a gift. Those of us who can express ourselves through music are fortunate to have that creative outlet, yet sometimes we take that simple fact for granted as we wrestle with the realities of making a living in the music business. In a media-driven, short attention span world, it is easy to forget […]

Trouble with NAFTA?

January 9, 2014

As was discussed in a recent article by Liana White, the Canadian Government recently took a step forward, in my opinion, by transferring the Labour Market Opinion fees from the taxpayer to the user—meaning the club owner and/or promoter. While increasing the cost of hiring musicians from abroad, AFM members are exempt from this fee. […]

The Sad Demise of the New York City Opera

January 9, 2014

Tino Gagliardi – AFM International Executive Board Member and President of Local 802 (New York City) It is hard to believe, but it has actually come to pass. What the musicians of the New York City Opera (NYCO) Orchestra have long feared: the reckless and misguided decisions of management to move out of the opera’s […]

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

January 9, 2014

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!

January 9, 2014

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

January 1, 2014

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

January 1, 2014

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

January 1, 2014

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

December 1, 2013

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 […]