On December 6, the AFM Fair Share for Musicians Road to Negotiations meeting was held at Local 47 (Los Angeles, CA). This meeting was a mix of in-person and Zoom attendees. Thousands of AFM members from across the US and Canada who have worked under the agreements or participated in previous campaigns were invited to attend.
AFM International President Tino Gagliardi and other key members of the bargaining unit met with participants to discuss the campaign’s vision, strategies for the negotiations, the uniqueness of this moment in entertainment industry and labor history, and what the AFM Fair Share for Musicians campaign has been doing. Some of the discussion topics included improving industry wages, working conditions, residual payments for made-for-streaming content, and AI protections. Participants were also informed about how they could become involved in the campaign, either as a member, an activist, or part of the bargaining unit.
Planning for the upcoming negotiations began in 2021 with the steering committee and rank-and-file musicians collaborating with the AFM director of organizing to design a survey for the film and TV bargaining unit musicians. After months of outreach and preparation, the committee established a course of action and immediately began organizing meetings with musicians.
Throughout 2023, the steering committee members offered informational presentations at AFM player conferences and the 102nd AFM Convention in June. AFM leadership and the bargaining unit steering committee conducted a listening tour to engage musicians and discuss potential proposals. These meetings were open to all AFM members.
Contract negotiations for AFM’s Basic Theatrical Motion Picture and Basic Television Motion Picture Agreements with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) will begin January 22 in Los Angeles, California.
For updated information and to participate in the campaign, follow: Facebook @afmfairshareformusicians or Instagram @afmfairshareformusicians.