Details of the contract agreement that ended the November SEPTA Transport Workers strike in Philadelphia have been revealed. The workers, members of Transport Workers Union Local 234, will receive 10.5% pay raises over the next five years, health insurance payments will increase from 1% to 2.5% of pay, and pension payments will increase 12.8% to 15.2%, depending on the years an employee has worked for SEPTA. Absent from the agreement were changes in break-time increments or downtime between shifts for “fatigued” workers which had been a talking point. The increased cost of $146 million over five years will be absorbed entirely within SEPTA’s existing 10-year budget with no additional public funding or fare increases required.
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.