Updated Live Streaming Addendum for Houses of Worship Approved

November 20, 2023

The AFM has created a new live contract streaming addendum specifically for houses of worship. This new streaming addendum allows for the streaming of a service for up to 7 days afterward for the lower, non-captured rate. Please contact Gus Weaver at president@musiciansokc.com for the new streaming addendum and begin using it immediately.

AFM Musicians Stand in Solidarity with WGA in Their Fight to Win a Fair Contract

Thursday April 27th, 2023

The American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada has joined SAG-AFTRA, DGA, and IATSE in support of the Writers Guild of America and its ongoing negotiations for a new film and TV contract.

“We support the writers represented by the Writers Guild of America West and the Writers Guild of America East in their collective fight to win a fair contract,” states AFM President Ray Hair. “Writers are the backbone of the entertainment industry. They deserve to be paid fairly for their work in films, network television series, cable and new media productions. Streaming services are now the dominant force in the entertainment industry, and we stand with the writers asking to be compensated fairly for their work.”

The Writers Guild of America is currently in contract negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, but the current contract ends on May 1, and the WGA members have officially authorized a strike. The April 17 vote showed that 97.9% of participating union members approved of the potential strike.

AFM Opposes Proposed USCIS Visa Increases

The AFM strongly opposes increasing O & P Visa fees as proposed by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The USCIS is very short-sighted in its proposal, as imposing such increases will vastly limit international touring and arts collaborations.

In a letter sent February 8, 2023 to Congressman Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member on the House Homeland Security Committee, AFM President Ray Hair has asked the USCIS to reconsider the increase in visa fees, which would irreparably damage local, state, and federal investment in the US arts and entertainment business.

The increases proposed are upwards of 251%. And the proposal also includes a surcharge of $600 per petition to fund the Asylum Program Fee.
International artists are engaged throughout the arts and entertainment industry, which is still itself recovering from the effects of COVID-19. Most of these entities do not, in fact, have the ability to pay these proposed fees, nor do the foreign artists engaged.
Drastic fee increases will stifle international cultural activity and have a negative economic ripple effect on communities supported by arts events.
Music is collaborative in nature, providing US artists with the ability to connect with international artists, who in turn provide those US artists with access to markets abroad.
International touring artists contribute to the US economy in the way of filling venues, booking hotels, and the many other costs associated with a tour. They also pay US Federal and State Taxes on their performance earnings.

If these increases are realized, they will also negatively impact dancers, actors, athletes, visual artists, and many others working in the various artistic disciplines.

You can enter opposition comments online through the US Federal Register Portal. Deadline for comments is March 6, 2023.

The AFM Mourns the Loss of EMSD Director Pat Varriale

We are deeply saddened to announce the sudden loss of our esteemed colleague and friend, Pat Varriale, Electronic Media Services Division Director and Assistant to the President, who passed away Friday, May 13.Pat had been a valued member of our team since he was first hired in October 1974 into what was then known as the recording department by Bob Crothers. Throughout his career with the Federation, Pat worked to improve the lives of musicians throughout the US and Canada. There are hundreds of thousands of musicians who do not know Pat by name, but his work enabled them to receive the money they deserved for their electronic media recordings and performances.His decades of dedication, diligence, care, determination, and doggedness to protect our members and get them paid was unmatched.We are indebted to his wife, Patricia, and his son, Nick, who shared Pat with us for nearly 50 years. We are all better for it. We will all miss him more than words can express. 🙏For information on services, please visit: https://www.colonialfuneralhomesi.com

Help Secure Future National Endowment for the Arts & Humanities

May 3rd, 2022

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) are critical to the recovery of the arts and entertainment industries. The NEA and NEH support job opportunities for union members in every state, as well as for local economies devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic. An NEA study found that the arts sector shrank twice as much as the rest of the economy during the pandemic.

Right now, decisions are being made in Congress that will affect next year’s funding for the NEA and the NEH. We can increase NEA and NEH funding to $204 million next year if there is enough support in Congress. Please join us in urging Congress to invest in the arts.

Click here to contact your representatives in Congress today.

Make sure your Congressional representatives know that you support increased funding for the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Oklahoma City Philharmonic 2022-2023 Season

May 1, 2022

The Oklahoma City Philharmonic announces it’s upcoming season: https://www.okcphil.org/concerts-tickets/2022-23-season/

New Secretary-Treasurer

August 1, 2020

We would like to thank David Steffens for his service as Secretary-Treasurer and we wish him well in his new job in Indiana.

The Executive Board had appointed Michael Mann as the new Secretary-Treasurer of Local 375-703 effective July, 1 2020. He can be reached at secretary@musicinsokc.com.