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.
September 16, 2019
IM -Nearly 50,000 GM UAW employees walked off the job at 55 plants around the US at midnight Monday morning, September 16, to demand a better contract. Among the issues: improving wages, reopening idled plans, increasing jobs, and narrowing the pay difference between new hires and veteran workers.
GM wants employees to pay a greater share of health care costs and to increase workforce productivity and flexibility in factories. Although the company made $8.1 billion globally last year, it has idled three plants in the US as car sales weaken.
The auto industry—even if it is far from its employment heights in the 1970s—remains crucial to the economy. According to the Alliance of Auto Manufacturers, the broader vehicle industry supports 9.9 million jobs and historically accounts for about 3 percent of gross domestic product.
The number of people who participated in work stoppages rose last year to its highest level since the 1980s, buoyed by teacher walkouts and a multi-city hotel worker’s strike. The public has become increasingly supportive of organized labor. A Gallup poll in August found that 64 percent of Americans approve of unions, up from 50 percent a decade ago.