Officers Columns

Here are the latest posts from our officers

Ray Hair – AFM International President

A Federation for All: Recognizing the FMA and Defending Standards in a Changing Industry

With the 103rd AFM Convention approaching this June, our recent International Executive Board (IEB) meeting in San Juan, Puerto Rico, was a very productive week of hard work and tough decisions. The board focused on strengthening our union’s structure and ensuring that all areas of our membership are heard and represented in the decisions that shape our future.

Recognizing the Freelance Musicians Association

The defining moment of this meeting was the board’s unanimous decision to grant player conference status to the Freelance Musicians Association (FMA), which entitles it to representation at the AFM Convention in June.

I am excited to announce this decision, as it becomes a milestone for a significant portion of our membership. Freelance musicians are the backbone of our Federation. They are the professionals who keep local music scenes alive, whether whether gigging in clubs, teaching the next generation of musicians, or performing with a variety of ensembles throughout their communities. However, the freelance community often lacks the centralized structure of a major symphony or a long-running theatrical production, which can make organizing and representation difficult.

The FMA has evolved from humble beginnings as a small grassroots movement of passionate freelancers into a vibrant, binational body of working musicians from dozens of locals, dedicated to strengthening the economic security, professional standing, and collective power of those in self-directed and multi-employer work.

In collaboration with Federation leadership, AFM locals, and allied organizations, the FMA expands access to resources, promotes equitable standards across nontraditional and emerging areas of work, and supports organizing efforts that address the specific needs of freelance careers—including live performance, recording, and touring.

The FMA now joins the ranks of the AFM’s established player conferences: the International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians (ICSOM), the Regional Orchestra Players Association (ROPA), the Organization of Canadian Symphony Musicians (OCSM), the Recording Musicians Association (RMA), and the Theatre Musicians’ Association (TMA). For more information on the FMA and its mission, I encourage you to visit www.afmfreelance.org.

AFM Convention Preparation

During the April meeting, the IEB spent considerable time drafting Recommendations for the 103rd AFM Convention. These proposals are the result of careful analysis of the current state of the industry and the internal needs of our Federation.

Our union’s strength depends on an open and active democratic process, so our goal is to provide delegates with the information they need to make decisions that benefit the entire membership. I urge all members and delegates to review the proposed Recommendations and Resolutions on page 18. These bylaw changes are essential for anyone who wants to see our union thrive. Your review ensures your delegates act with the full support and informed consent of the membership.

Strengthening Ties with Local 555 and the Musicians of Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico possesses a rich musical culture that is deeply rooted in tradition and finding new growth in its talented musical community. The musical opportunities in Local 555 (San Juan, PR) are diverse, ranging from prestigious orchestral seats to a thriving independent music scene that spans various genres.

While in Puerto Rico, I had the opportunity to engage directly with the local musical community. Accompanied by Director of Symphonic Services Rochelle Skolnick, Director of Organizing Services Gabe Kristal, and Field Organizer Paul Bissember, we attended a rehearsal with the musicians of the Orquesta Sinfónica de Puerto Rico and met many of the members of the Puerto Rico Philharmonic Camerata Orchestra.

L-R: Director of Symphonic Services Rochelle Skolnick, Local 555 President Fermín A. Segarra-Cordero, AFM International President Tino Gagliardi, Orquesta Sinfónica de Puerto Rico CEO Melissa Santana, Assistant to the CEO Ailed Gonzalez, and Local 555 Council Genoveva Valentín.

Our discussions with these musicians centered on the specific challenges of maintaining professional standards in a unique economic environment. The commitment of the Puerto Rican musicians to their craft and their union remains an inspiration to the entire Federation. We remain dedicated to working alongside Local 555 to guarantee that these world-class musicians receive the support they deserve.

Continuing the Fight for the Sound Recording Labor Agreement Protections

Looking ahead to the rest of May, our focus shifts toward the bargaining table. Negotiations for the Sound Recording Labor Agreement (SRLA) are ongoing, and we will be returning to meet with the record labels later this month. This agreement is among the most significant for professional recording artists, as it covers the essential terms and conditions under which musicians are hired to produce sound recordings.

The continuing centerpiece of the SRLA negotiations will be addressing the rapid rise of artificial intelligence and machine learning. We are making it a primary goal to secure language regarding consent, compensation, and credit for the use of musicians’ tracks in machine learning models. As technology evolves, our contracts must evolve with it to prevent the unauthorized exploitation of our members’ work. The AFM will continue the fight to ensure that no matter how music is created or distributed, the human musicians behind the notes are fairly compensated and their intellectual property is respected.

The coming months will be a period of intense activity and significant change for the AFM. From the bargaining table with the major labels to the halls of our June convention, our focus remains on protecting the rights, livelihoods, and economic security of professional musicians across the US and Canada. Whether you are a freelance performer in a local club, an orchestral player in San Juan, or a recording artist in a major studio, this Federation stands ready to protect your rights and elevate your profession. I look forward to connecting with our delegates and members in June as we continue this vital work together.

Jay Blumenthal – AFM International Secretary-Treasurer

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AFM Convention: Moving the needle for musicians and the future

In its 130th year of our union’s existence, the 103rd triennial international convention of the American Federation of Musicians of the US and Canada will convene next month in Ottawa, Ontario. AFM Conventions are working conventions. Delegates elected by the membership in Canadian and American locals will make the journey to Ottawa not to see friends, party, or be tourists. They will instead consider who will make up the AFM’s leadership team for the next three years and, more importantly, decide the framework within which members, local leaders, and Federation administration will work together to move the needle for those who have chosen music as a career.

I attended my first AFM Convention in 1983 in my mid-20s. Back then, and through the intervening decades, convention deliberations tended to be primarily focused on how to keep the Federation from going broke, which classifications of work were subject to work dues and at what rates, bylaw changes that would either expand or contract the authority of the Federation over its local unions, compensation for local union delegates to attend the conventions, bylaw changes restricting or liberalizing rules that apply to members doing gigs outside their home locals, and things of that nature—
essentially a lot of energetic rearranging of Federation deck chairs.

One of my most enduring memories from those years was a 1 1/2 hour furious and emotion-laden floor debate over a proposed requirement that each local must have a separate phone line (this was in the 1980s). A couple of conventions later saw the advent of “local minimum requirements,” i.e., the bare minimum aspects of a local operation to justify its existence—“far-reaching and radical” requirements such as having a certain number of meetings a year, sending newsletters to members, reporting on its financial condition annually, being reasonably visible to musicians and the general public—bonehead stuff that any local should do without having to be reduced to print in a Federation bylaw. But that is generally how I’d characterize conventions of the past—lots of internal operational adjustments that have little direct impact on the actual work of musicians. And so it goes.

My hope and expectation for this upcoming convention is that the delegates and leadership collectively lift our heads a bit higher than past assemblages—that together and with common understanding we begin to chart a path for the future that operates not just to the benefit of union administration, and not just to the benefit of our members today, but one that looks beyond today and into the future, for the benefit of musicians who will be stepping into their careers 10, 20, and 30 years from now. Anyone paying attention in this decade cannot credibly deny that music as a profession today is under an existential threat from many different directions.
This year may be one of our last meaningful opportunities to chart a substantive and meaningful action plan to ensure that real human-generated music and career-driven musicians have a solid stakehold in our society’s future.

As a kid, I was taught to leave a place in better shape than when I found it. The previous administration did just that by cashing up the AFM and saving it from bankruptcy, saving the US pension fund, and saving MPTF. The decisions that this next convention makes will provide a clear indication if we shall now take our Federation up a notch or two or three, or reprise the deck chair arrangement pageantry.

A common tenet among the First Nations indigenous peoples of this continent is to conduct themselves with regard not to the present, but with regard for their ancestors and descendants—to honor the seven generations that preceded them by investing their attention and energies toward the seven generations that will come after.

130 years of AFM existence doesn’t quite comprise a full seven generations of predecessors, but that need not constrain us at this upcoming convention in what we can do now that will move the needle meaningfully for professional musicians seven generations into the future. This next convention will be a success if we can leave Ottawa knowing that musicians 50 years from now will thank us for the decisions we made in 2026.

Alan Willaert – AFM Vice President from Canada

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AFM Members Well Represented in Juno Awards, Organizing Growth, and Our Canadian Office Relocation

The Junos, held in Hamilton, Ontario, last month highlighted the world-class caliber of Canadian music and the visibility of our membership. Twenty-five winners represented six Canadian and two US AFM locals, with nominees appearing in nearly every category.

AFM artists hailing from British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia ensured a strong presence from coast to coast. Our members took home top honors in a wide array of genres, including Contemporary Indigenous Artist or Group, Adult Alternative Album of the Year, Breakthrough Artist of the Year, Country Album of the Year, Classical Album of the Year, Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year, Contemporary Roots Album of the Year, R&B Recording of the Year, Jazz Solo Album of the Year, and Latin Music Recording of the Year. View the list of winners on page 13 of this issue.

The Canadian music scene is vibrant, well represented, and world-class. Congratulations to all the winners and performers at the Junos. Those performing at the Junos and Junofest, worked under our collective agreement receiving wages and pension contributions.

In April, we welcomed Samara Chadwick to the legion of AFM advocates for Canadian musicians. Chadwick joins the Federation staff as a full-time bilingual Canadian organizer, reporting to AFM Organizing Services Director Gabe Kristal. She resides in Nova Scotia, having grown up in New Brunswick, and is already connecting with locals to assist with organizing efforts across the country. You can read more about her and the growth of the Organizing Services Department on page 8.

Day-to-day business continues as usual, including Sound Recording Labor Agreement (SRLA) negotiations; ongoing negotiations with Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) on a side letter around language protecting musicians on the use of generative artificial intelligence; and lobbying efforts.

As I write this column, we are about to move the Canadian Office to a new, improved location. Our current office will be offline on Thursday, May 14, after lunchtime to unplug servers and facilitate the transition to our new space during Friday and Saturday. We will set up our new office on the Sunday and Monday. Because Monday, May 18, is a holiday, our new office will be functioning as normal by start of business on Tuesday, May 19. Our new address is: 895 Don Mills Rd., Suite 202; Toronto, Ontario M3C 1W3. All phone and email information remains the same.

L’AFM bien représentée aux prix Juno, syndicalisation en croissance et déménagement du Bureau canadien

par Allistair Elliott, vice-président de l’AFM pour le Canada

La remise des prix Juno, qui s’est tenue le mois dernier à Hamilton, en Ontario, a mis en valeur le calibre mondial de la musique canadienne et la visibilité de nos membres. Vingt-cinq lauréats représentaient six sections locales canadiennes de l’AFM et deux sections américaines, et des membres ont été nommés dans presque toutes les catégories.

De nombreux artistes de l’AFM provenant de la Colombie-Britannique, de l’Alberta, du Manitoba, de l’Ontario, du Québec et de la Nouvelle-Écosse ont assuré une représentation forte du pays, d’un océan à l’autre. Nos membres ont remporté les plus grands honneurs dans un large éventail de genres, incluant Artiste ou groupe autochtone contemporain de l’année, Album adulte alternatif de l’année, Révélation de l’année, Album country de l’année, Album classique de l’année, Album gospel contemporain de l’année, Album roots contemporain de l’année, Enregistrement R&B de l’année, Album jazz de l’année (solo) et Enregistrement de musique latine de l’année. Vous pouvez consulter la liste des lauréats à la page 13 de ce numéro.

La scène musicale canadienne est dynamique, bien représentée et de classe mondiale. Félicitations à tous les lauréats et les artistes qui se sont produits aux Juno. Leurs prestations et celles données pendant le Junofest ont été couvertes par notre entente collective, garantissant salaires et cotisations de retraite.

En avril, Samara Chadwick s’est jointe aux nombreux défenseurs des musiciens canadiens au sein de l’AFM. Elle devient organisatrice syndicale canadienne bilingue à temps plein, sous la responsabilité du directeur de la syndicalisation de l’AFM, Gabe Kristal. Elle habite la Nouvelle-Écosse, mais a grandi au Nouveau-Brunswick, et elle établit déjà des liens avec les sections locales à l’échelle du pays afin d’y contribuer aux activités de syndicalisation. Pour en apprendre davantage à son sujet et sur le développement du département des services de la syndicalisation, veuillez vous reporter à la page 8.

Les activités quotidiennes se poursuivent comme d’habitude, notamment les négociations de l’Entente collective sur l’enregistrement sonore (SRLA); les négociations en cours avec l’Association canadienne de production de films et de télévision concernant une lettre d’accompagnement protégeant les musiciens contre l’intelligence artificielle générative; et les activités de lobbyisme.

Au moment où j’écris cette chronique, nous sommes sur le point de déménager le Bureau canadien dans de nouveaux locaux plus adaptés. Notre bureau actuel sera mis hors ligne l’après-midi du jeudi 14 mai afin de débrancher les serveurs et de faciliter la transition vers nos nouveaux locaux vendredi et samedi; nous nous installerons dimanche et lundi. Comme le lundi 18 mai est un jour férié, notre nouveau bureau fonctionnera normalement à compter du mardi 19 mai. Notre nouvelle adresse est la suivante : 895 Don Mills Rd., Suite 202, Toronto, Ontario M3C 1W3. Nos coordonnées téléphoniques et notre adresse courriel restent inchangées.

Protecting the Mission of the Kennedy Center

For the uninitiated visiting our nation’s capital for the first time, the experience can truly be one of sensory overload. The combination of the sheer physical beauty of the city and the immediacy of its historical significance can be overwhelming.

I will certainly never forget my first visit to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts after moving to the area. It was dark on that fall evening as we drove from Virginia across the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge and the city came into view. The illuminated Kennedy Center appeared across the Potomac River on the left with the view of the Lincoln Memorial to the right side of the river. The Washington Monument was in the background.

The impact of that moment was only magnified by the anticipation of what I would be experiencing inside the building—home to the National Symphony Orchestra, the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra, and until very recently, the Washington National Opera. The Kennedy Center has been a destination for arts organizations around the world since its opening in 1971 and has played a vital role as a cultural leader and nonpartisan arts institution. It has excelled in its mission to “present classical and contemporary music, opera, drama, dance, and other performing arts from the United States and other countries.”

I imagine that this impression has been shared countless times over the course of the Kennedy Center’s illustrious history as a living memorial to the performing arts in honor of a slain president. It is therefore even more troubling to witness the events that have recently transpired and their impact on this institution and all those who work there in fulfillment of its directive. Partisan politics now place the Kennedy Center’s mission, authorized by an act of Congress, in jeopardy for the first time in its existence.

Since the unprecedented takeover of the center, the reaction from both artists and audiences has had a devastating impact. Many artists have chosen to withdraw from their commitments at the center in protest of its management. This has effectively resulted in an exercise in self-censorship, as opposed to the intended goal.

Our national cultural center represents one of the world’s premier platforms for artistic expression. In a time of such historical importance like we are currently experiencing, why would artists choose silence over the opportunity to engage with their audiences and share their message directly?

President Kennedy said, “If sometimes our great artists have been the most critical of our society, it is because their sensitivity and their concern for justice, which must motivate any true artist, makes him aware that our nation falls short of its highest potential.”

Of no less significance is the impact to all of those working under union contracts at the Kennedy Center. Not only have boycotts proven extremely disruptive to their livelihoods, but the boycotts are increasingly becoming an existential threat. Audiences have also chosen to vote with their feet.

The result has been not to punish the center’s leadership, which remains in place, but rather to jeopardize the lives of the very people who have dedicated their careers to bringing these arts to life in fulfillment of the Kennedy Center’s mission. By way of analogy, this could be compared to a sports team whose home stadium naming rights were bought by an unscrupulous corporation. Would the team’s fan base withdraw their support of their team as a form of protest by not attending games?

That brings us to the current situation and the announcement, with six months’ notice, that the Kennedy Center will be closing for a period of two years for “renovations.” Several lawsuits have been filed in objection and are being monitored closely.

However, the potential success of this litigation won’t do anything to change the dynamic which currently exists. Only artists and audiences can do that. As President Kennedy’s words on the marble facade of the center remind us, “I am certain that after the dust of centuries has passed over our cities, we, too, will be remembered not for victories or defeats in battle or in politics, but for our contribution to the human spirit.”

I look forward to a time when we will once again gather to celebrate the arts at this amazing venue, when artists and audiences will once again feel welcome at our national cultural center to experience the transformative power of the performing arts, and when this living memorial is restored to its designated purpose.

Nothing Is Inevitable

Tension between musicians and technology has been going on since the beginning of time. Which came first, the modulating voice or the stick against a rock? Could the stick against the rock have been considered technology? What about instruments created through the centuries that emulate the sound of a voice but with different ranges, timbres, or increased technical capacity? Music making flexes, changes, and adapts to the tools available. It seems we’re living at a time in which everything is advancing at a faster and faster pace.

Keep in mind, we don’t make music for ourselves; it’s to resonate with others. There’s nothing like being in a group, band, or orchestra and really melding with the other musicians. The groove is there. Everyone is in tune with each other and playing together or off one another. The commingling of ideas, matching phrases, and conversing in sound is a truly unique form of communication that resonates with the music makers and the audience.

Different styles are created as the world becomes smaller and musicians are exposed to different instruments and rhythms. Musicians are inspired by each other, and it doesn’t matter who you are, what you look like, or where you came from. You don’t have to be able to speak to each other. Someone starts a tune and others join in and music is made.

Tensions seem to be everywhere, from advancing technology to a ridiculous and horrifying push toward isolationism. The macro is enforcing borders and building walls and the micro is creating a “new norm” for everyone to stay in their homes and stare at a screen. The movement from an interactive society to a hive of drones has been in the works for quite some time. The antiseptic, sterile, dystopian future is not inevitable, if we don’t allow it.

On the artistic side, we can make music that taps emotions and makes memories. Music brings people together to listen, dance, incite joy, feel sadness and love, and inspire action. We can fill auditoriums, theaters, and arenas with people smiling at each other with the excitement of a shared lived experience.

We have another side, which is our union. Together we can push back against the tech bros to ensure that music creators are compensated fairly. We can stand up for humanity by ensuring our legislative bodies are regulating media companies and corporations so that our intellectual properties are protected and creators are valued. We can enlist our communities to help make the concert experience available to all, not just the privileged. We need to call in our music making friends and family to join us in these efforts. Power is built one voice at a time, the root, the third, the fifth, and onward until the cacophony is overwhelming.

And on that note … hang in there and happy spring!

You Are Not Alone!

Since the last AFM Convention in 2023, the leadership team of the AFM has been working diligently to bring our union up to a new level of solidarity, efficiency, and accessibility. Times have changed, and so have we. Our organizing and engagement efforts are increasing exponentially, and despite the difficult political climate, we have been able to make some progress with legislation in Washington, DC, working with both sides of the aisle.

We have been working to recruit new members and increase our footprint in as many ways as possible. The more our members are engaged and willing to unite and stand up for themselves, the brighter their future will be. We have more power than we allow ourselves to realize sometimes, and we should never take that for granted.

As the music industry evolves, there are always new challenges, many of which come from technology-based initiatives. As an AFM member, you can protect yourself by documenting your work under one of our many contracts. This creates an intellectual property trail that greatly increases your ability to get what you deserve from all of the potential revenue streams out there. We are all in this together, and the bottom line is that you are not alone. We stand ready to help protect you and your work. It’s the right thing to do.

In our two recent negotiations with the film and TV industries, we got significant protections against the misuse of artificial intelligence (AI). AI is obviously a hot topic, and one that the AFM is very tuned into. We are in the beginning of Sound Recording Labor Agreement (SRLA) negotiations with the major record labels, and once again, the consequences of AI and generative AI for musicians are at the top of our list. Fake artists, fake music from real artists, and fake songwriting demos are popping up everywhere. Personally speaking, I believe that over time, the proliferation of AI generated music is going to make authenticity that much more valuable as listeners get bored with so-called “perfection.”

Here at Local 257 (Nashville, TN), we’re fortunate to be part of a community of creators and employers who have a tradition of respecting each other. Of course, there are a few unfortunate exceptions, but we been very active in engaging the publishers, labels, independent artists, and freelance musicians in our community to understand the value of an AFM contract.

The fact is, recording under an AFM contract benefits the employer in a number of ways, including creating a work for hire scenario that eliminates the need for a separate work for hire document from the employer. In addition, the AFM contract ensures that if a song is used for film, television, commercials or any other new use, whether now or decades from now, the third party employer, not the artist or label, pays the musicians. Without an AFM contract, what musicians make that day is all they will ever make for the future use of their work.

Despite all the challenges, technology has presented musicians with the undeniable power of artistic creativity, whether in live performance or in the studio. It remains a huge part of our modern day culture. Music brings people together in ways that cross multiple cultural boundaries and defy expectations. Two people who can not have a civil conversation about politics or religion can find common ground standing next to each other in a music venue, listening to a performer they both enjoy.

The music business doesn’t have to be a win-lose situation. It can be a win-win if everyone treats others as they would want to be treated. In these complicated times, that simple fact rings true now more than ever. One powerful song can make a big difference in people’s lives, and if you were a part of that recording, you deserve a fair share for what you contributed. When we work together with honesty and solidarity, and continue to stand up for each other and for our union, it makes a huge difference.

Our collective energy is a power not to be taken lightly—in an increasingly divided world, music is one of those few gifts that can help break down barriers in a positive way. You are not alone—we have the power when we work together for the greater good of all of us.

Ball of Confusion (That’s What the World Is Today)

I was going to title my column “Everything’s Going to Hell in a Handbasket,” then I came across The Temptations’ song “Ball of Confusion (That’s What the World Is Today),” recorded in 1970 against the backdrop of racism, social injustice, and civil unrest in America. It’s an apt title for today.

To say that we live in volatile times could be considered an understatement but here we are. Above the 49th parallel, aka “the 51st state,” as some individuals would have us believe, we look on alarmed at the disruptive forces at play south of the border. ICE and National Guard deployment, citizenry being stripped of their fundamental rights, arbitrary detentions, forced deportations, blatantly ignoring indigenous peoples’ rights, curbing academic freedoms, mocking disabled persons, gutting arts funding, gutting the National Labor Relations Board (NRLB), relentless efforts to repeal the Affordable Healthcare Act, attacks on journalistic freedoms—the list goes on and on.

We are told what we see and what we hear with our own eyes and ears did not actually happen. Our collective sense of security and trepidation is further heightened by the ongoing threats of the Trump administration to annex Canada and other sovereign countries. Adding to this, globally, is war and political instability: Ukraine, the Middle East, Africa. It’s a good time for the arms dealers. But, I digress.

Thank goodness we have the arts is all I can say! In all times, and even more so now, art, music, theatre, film, poetry, and story bring us solace and inner peace. They help soothe our anxieties, give meaning to our feelings, and shine a mirror on injustice, pain, and suffering. They uplift us with hope and love, joy and human connection—the arts let us know that “everything’s gonna be alright.”

Musicians through their music have always reflected the times. Music has served as a catharsis—a powerful tool for social commentary and unity throughout the ages. And every genre—symphonic, opera, jazz, rap, folk, and more—has reflected the human condition. On both sides of the border, AFM members inspire, entertain, and transport audiences away from fear, hatred, and loathing. Music enriches our souls. It is fundamental to our collective well-being, which makes it even worse when creativity is hijacked by defunding the very institutions that the arts rely on.

During times of upheaval, great organizations and their people rise to meet the challenges that have beset them. Our union and members are no exception. Together, we have persisted through world wars, pandemics, the introduction of sound and recording, disruptive technologies and distribution systems, labour strife, financial meltdowns, and more. How? By adhering to and supporting our mission to unite professional musicians across the United States and Canada, enabling them to live and work with dignity, receive fair compensation for their labor, and have a meaningful voice in decisions that affect them.

Our AFM leadership and staff are working hard to build a stronger AFM. In both countries, our national collective agreements are addressing generative artificial intelligence, focusing on consent, credit, and compensation. The AFM has significantly expanded education offerings to local officers and staff. We now have an Organizing department that is assisting organizers with winning campaigns. We’ve enhanced freelance, symphonic, and theatre services and resources to better serve you. Our Government Affairs Office is actively promoting important policies that matter to musicians. On the global stage, the AFM is respected and building stronger alliances with our sister entertainment unions.

Resilience was an oft used term during the pandemic, guiding us as we pivoted and adapted to COVID-19. I would now add we all need fortitude to go the distance.

In this ball of confusion, there is no room for complacency, we must collectively double down our efforts on both sides of the border. Thankfully, we have our union at our back. When we fight together, we win!