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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Meeting with members is always an interesting exercise, and a way to keep in touch with the realities of the music scene, which can be both good and, well, not so much.
One of the most disappointing aspects is conversations with prominent musicians who have been members for a significant number of years, yet are in a personal quandary about whether to continue membership because they haven’t “seen any value.”
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The summer and fall of this year have shaped up to be negotiation-heavy. While exhausting, we see this as an opportunity to secure better wages and benefits for our members who work under those agreements.
In recent years, the rise of streaming as the preferred model of digital distribution and consumption has radically transformed the media marketplace. Worldwide, digital revenues and audiences have accelerated toward both advertiser-supported and subscription-based consumption models, benefiting digital service providers, copyright owners and producers, and other stakeholders. If current trends hold, the number of paid music subscribers worldwide will rise from more than 149 million today to 200 million by the end of this year.
This month I would like to announce two new initiatives related to the International Musician. A member new recording listing will now be a regular section in the print magazine, (see page 22), plus the Gig Labs email blast will introduce subscribers to new gadgets and gear through a regular e-mail blast and provide a low-cost advertising option for entrepreneur members with products to sell.
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by John Acosta, AFM International Executive Board Member and President of Local 47 (Los Angeles, CA)
Increasing our presence within the community of young musicians throughout the US and Canada should certainly be a major priority for all of us. Increasing awareness of the AFM among younger generations will only improve our ability to recruit new members, expanding and diversifying our ranks.
