Imagine being a freelancer out on the road with an artist you’re attached to, or as part of your own band, or as a side musician in a band, or as part of the core group of an orchestral tour. What do these all have in common? No AFM coverage, no health care contributions, no pension contributions, no workplace or media protections.
It has been decades since artists went out on tour to promote their records; now sound recordings are produced to promote tours. Indie artists travel their region, travel the continent, and travel the globe, performing in a range of venues, putting it together.
And, when tours come through our locals, we are left to deal with them piecemeal, local by local. This uncoordinated, reactive and patchy non-approach leaves locals to struggle alone.
We need to do better. We can do better! We need an AFM-wide strategy and structure!
In 2019, the AFM Convention authorized the International Executive Board to act on these needs, and that language now appears in Article 13, Section 3: “The IEB is given full power and authority to promulgate, adopt, revise, and/or adjust all scales for traveling musicians and to promulgate, adopt, revise, change, suspend, and/or repeal any rules, laws, and/or Bylaws pertaining to traveling musicians…”
These strategic needs require both IEB leadership and an upgraded and transformed AFM Touring Division. It would make sense to have separate staff for non-theatrical touring, as touring theatre has its own unique employers, business models and challenges. Research and organizing resources are crucial to success in this area.
A significant gap for freelance and indie musicians out on the road in the U.S. is the lack of health care benefits. The Entertainment Industry Flex Plan is a flexible, portable, bankable, usable employer-based contribution plan that is ready and willing to play a role in providing meaningful health contributions for musicians on tour with AFM contracts. As a longtime participant in the Flex Plan I can bring real information to the table.
We don’t need new bylaws here, we need a committed and focused voice in our leadership.
Onward to Ottawa!