Member Benefits

Members can set up public-facing profiles on our website, so that people looking for musicians or music teachers can easily find you. You can also set up a profile for your band.

(If you only want your contact info to be viewable by other members—or not at all—you can set up your profile that way instead.)

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A signed, filed AFM contract is the cornerstone of your professional life. It opens the doors to most major Federation and local services and benefits and gives you automatic legal protection should a purchaser default. AFM contracts are easy to complete, and most ethical purchasers will sign them if asked. The Federation and its locals supply legal contract forms to members for all types of professional work. AFM members can download contracts from the AFM Federation website or contact Local 99 for paper copies. A signed contract is necessary for complete access to Federation services.

If you use an AFM contract, you have access to:

Pension Plan

We have one of the best funds in North America and it is 100% employer funded. It is available if you perform at qualifying workplaces, or if you utilize our 99 Payroll Club. Additionally, freelance and club musicians can make contributions on their own into the pension fund by utilizing the special LS-1 contract.

Legal Assistance

Should a purchaser default on a signed and filed contract, your membership will give you automatic legal assistance all the way through arbitration if necessary. 

Additionally, if you use an AFM recording contract, you have access to:

New Use payments

Musicians on AFM recording contracts get paid again if their work gets used in a new context: e.g. if a song you played on gets placed in a film, you get paid the same as a musician who records that song directly for the film. If that song gets placed in a commercial, you get paid again. (As you should, from anyone who is making money off of your work!)

Recording Royalties

If you make an audio recording or motion picture for an employer who has signed a Federation Agreement in that medium, you will receive additional pay over and above scale for several years from a pool of funds created from contributions by all AFM-contracted film and record producers. Each year, all AFM members who have played in film or audio recording sessions divide the pool, according to the number of sessions each musician has played. The more sessions you play, the larger the distribution you receive.

Learn more about AFM recording contracts here: Recording Contracts

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Through agreements negotiated between the AFM and film and record companies, special trust funds exist to pay scale wages (as set by Local 99) to members who perform at events for which no admission is charged. Such events include parks concerts, educational concerts and performances for hospitals and senior citizens. Emphasis is currently on educational presentations. To participate, you and a co-sponsor must apply to Local 99 well in advance of the event. Learn more here: Music Performance Trust Fund

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• Through the generosity of members who came before, Local 99 is able to offer annual scholarships for continuing education to members who qualify and desire to expand their musical capabilities. Learn more here: Local 99 Scholarship Fund
• There are also scholarships available for the children of AFM members, through the Music Performance Trust Fund. Learn more here: https://musicpf.org/home/scholarships/

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Should a purchaser default on a signed and filed contract, your membership will give you automatic legal assistance all the way through arbitration if necessary. As a member, you can also have a free 30-minute consultation with an attorney on subjects ranging from entertainment law to small business issues, family law, etc., with discounted rates for additional work. This program is sponsored through our affiliation with the AFL-CIO. Learn more here: https://www.unionplus.org/benefits/home/legal-help

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. . .Help is only a phone call away.

When you’re on the road away from home and a gig goes bad—you get fired, cancelled, stiffed or jailed—the Federation’s Emergency Traveling Assistance Program is there to bail you out. One telephone call will put you in contact with a Federation staffer who will give you advice and assistance. What’s more, emergency cash may be advanced based on Federation scale. The Federation will even go to court to collect the rest of your money, at no cost to you. It’s like AAA for musicians! Your signed, filed contract is all you need to benefit from this service. In the U.S., dial 1-800-ROADGIG (1-800-762-3444). In Canada, dial 1-800-INFO FED (1-800-464-6333).

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Requests for music come in daily to our office. The requests are emailed to members that have signed up to receive them. Jobs are categorized for easy reference by genre. No muss, no fuss! Easy gig info, without an agency fee!

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Members receive free listings in the national booking agency AFM Entertainment. www.afmentertainment.org

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We have a large rehearsal hall in our building, available almost 24/7, with easy load-in/out. Each member can use the rehearsal room for free up to twelve times a year after hours (That would mean a band with 5 members could use the space 60 times!) and an unlimited number of times during business hours (Monday through Friday 9am-4pm. Reservations are on a first-come, first-serve basis. (Once a member has exhausted their allotment of free uses, they can rent the space.) Learn more here: Rehearsal Hall

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Members can get excellent instrument, liability, health, and other insurance coverage through packages endorsed by the AFM. Learn more about:

• Instrument Insurance
• Liability Insurance
• Health, dental, life, auto, renters, etc

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Local 99 provides you with information on how to market yourself so that you can garner the most work, as well as guidance on how to get your recorded product into the right hands. Throughout the year we offer seminars and workshops on various topics that affect musicians: copyright, getting signed, IRS requirements, etc.

In-house payroll services available for those band leaders who are tired of doing the paperwork—our payroll company will do all of the required withholding, cut checks (or do direct deposit) for your band, and file the proper tax paperwork at the end of the year.

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Union members help each other get through rough spots. Local 99 has an emergency relief fund—members can get up to $600 to cover rent, doctor’s bills, or other unexpected expenses. The AFM has a similar fund that you may be eligible for. In addition, we partner with Labor’s Community Service Agency to find more assistance for our members in need.

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Members have access to dozens of discount and benefit programs through Union Plus, a nonprofit organization founded by the AFL-CIO in 1986 to provide excellent consumer benefit programs exclusively to union members (current and retired) and their families. Learn more about Union Plus here: Union Plus

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