Join AFM6

Membership is open to all musicians and vocalists who work part-time or full-time in pop, rock, country, jazz, classical, folk or other areas of music making in the United States and Canada.

If you decide to join, we urge you to take advantage of our member service programs, attend our meetings and social events, vote for officers (or become one), communicate your ideas and help make the union a better organization for all musicians. Please keep in mind that the Musicians Union is not a booking agency or hiring hall and we cannot guarantee you work as a musician.

The jurisdiction of this Union shall embrace all the territory of the following counties: San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa, Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Monterey, Napa, San Benito, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma, plus all of Trinity County (except those locations specified as within the jurisdiction of Local 12, Sacramento).

Find A Local Near You

If you live outside of the Local 6 jurisdiction (San Francisco Bay Area), use the Find a Local feature of the AFM website to find a Local Musicians Union in your area.

How Much Does It Cost to Join Local 6?

If you have never been a member of any AFM Local the cost to join Local 6 is $227.50. This includes a $110.00 Local 6 initiation fee, a $65.00 Federation initiation fee, and $52.50 for the current quarter’s dues.

If you are under the age of 21 you are eligible to join as a youth member. All initiation fees are waived (for a savings of $175.00). The cost to join is $52.50, the current quarters dues.

If you are currently a member of another AFM Local, or if you have resigned in good standing from another local, the cost to join Local 6 is $162.50. This includes a $110.00 Local 6 initiation fee and $52.50 for the current quarter’s dues. Proof of membership – or your resignation of such membership, is required.

If you have been dropped any AFM Local for nonpayment of dues – or if you have resigned from Local 6 – and you wish to reinstate, the cost depends on a variety of factors. Please contact us for the amount:

Lori Ponton Rodriguez, Assistant Treasurer – (415) 575-0777 ext. 304 or Email Me.

Discount for Self-Contained Bands: To take advantage of this special group rate at Local 6, band members must apply together and pay their first two quarters’ dues, for a total of $105 each. Initiation fees for both Local 6 and the AFM are waived, providing a savings of $175 per member (discount valid only one time per group).

How Do I Join?

Fill out the application below and pay the fees. Please contact us if you are not sure how much to pay. Alternatively, you can pay over the phone by credit card.

Please call Lori at (415) 575-0777, ext. 304, to contact us or to pay by credit card over the phone.

AFM6 Instructions for Joining

"*" indicates required fields

Step 1 of 6

Legal Name*

First Middle Last

Professional Name

Website

Mailing Address*

Street Address Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code Country

How long at current address?

Date of Birth*

Sex

Male

Female

Other

Social Security Number*

Email Address*

Phone [Home, Principal]*

Best number to contact you.

Phone [Work, Message]

Phone [Cell Phone]

AFM6 Mailing List

I would like to sign up for the AFM6 mailing list

Previous Address

Street Address Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code Country

U.S. Citizen?*

Yes

Type of visa*

Place of Birth*

City State / Province / Region Country

Closest relative

First Last

(or other person who will always know your address) not living with you

Their Address

Street Address Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code Country

Their phone

Are you currently an AFM member?*

Yes

Are you currently a member of Local 6?*

Yes

Local Number(s)*

Have you ever been a member of any Local of the AFM?*

Yes

Have you ever been a member of Local 6?*

Yes

Which Local(s)?*

How and when was membership terminated?

Designation of Beneficiary for Death Benefit

Primary Beneficiary*

I hereby designate my beneficiary (Use Full Name)

Relationship to You*

Beneficiary's Address*

Street Address Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code Country

100% of the Death Benefit will go to the above beneficiary unless they predecease me, in which case it will go to my alternate.

Alternate Beneficiary

Relationship of Alternate Beneficiary

Alternate Beneficiary's Address

Street Address Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code Country

Do you wish these to be co-beneficiaries?*

Yes

Primary Beneficiary %*

Please enter a number less than or equal to 100.

Alternate Beneficiary %*

Please enter a number less than or equal to 100.

Total Beneficiary %*

Signature (Designation of Beneficiary)

Use full legal name

Membership Obligation

I pledge to abide by all Rules, Regulations, and Bylaws of the AFM and the Local stated above. I agree to pay all dues and assessments (including work dues on all musical services performed) required by those Bylaws. I further agree to complete any orientation or Indoctrination required by that Local within the time specified by its Bylaws. I authorize the American Federation of Musicians and the above-named Local to act as my collective bargaining representative with full power to execute collective bargaining agreements with employers governing terms and conditions of employment.

I further authorize the AFM, in the name of the AFM or in my name, to do all acts, initiate all proceedings, execute, acknowledge and deliver any and all documents and pleadings, litigate collect and receive money, and, in the AFM’s sole judgment, join me as party plaintiff or defendant in suits or proceedings, or to bring suit in my name or the AFM's name, in respect of any AFM collectively negotiated agreement or any statutory royalty or remuneration payment to which I may be entitled under the laws of the United States or other countries or under international law or treaties. I authorize the AFM to offset from any royalties and remunerations collected the reasonable expenses of collecting, administering and distributing those royalties and remunerations.

I also understand that, when the Federation receives any residual payments for a new use of a musical product, the Federation will deposit those monies into a separate interest-bearing account and then will attempt to identify and locate the musicians to whom the payments are due and to distribute those payments to them. In the event that I cannot be identified and located, and I do not file a claim for payment with the Federation within three years after the Federation receives the payment, I authorize the Federation thereafter to transfer the monies due to me to the general treasury to be used to defray the costs of administering and operating the Federation provided, however, that any subsequent point t may file a written claim with the Federation and, upon doing so, I shall be entitled to receive the residual payment to which I am entitled (without interest and offset by the applicable Federation work dues) unless the State is then holding the residual payment I am due, in which case I shall apply to the State for my payment.

Signature (Membership Obligation)*

Work Dues Check-Off Authorization (U.S. Only)

In the U.S., members are also asked to sign a work dues check-off authorization, which allows employers to withhold dues from payroll. The member is not required to sign the check off as a condition of membership. It is a convenience for the local and often for the member. Some members do prefer to pay work dues themselves, in which case you will need to bill them. The following is the text from the application form.

I hereby voluntarily authorize and direct any party who engages my musical services to deduct from my compensation for those services the uniformly required dues or fees based on earnings, including work dues and/or agency or service fee, as set forth In the Bylaws of the American Federation of Musicians of the united States and Canada (“Federation Work Dues”) and/or the dues or fees based on earnings including work due and/or agency fees, as set forth in the Constitution and / or Bylaws of the Local Union hereof having jurisdiction over these services (“Local Union Work Dues”). I further authorize, and direct, each such party who engages my musical services to remit promptly all work dues thus' deducted to the Federation or appropriate Local Union thereof in accordance with the applicable regulations, and at the times specified in those regulations. Where the payment of either dues or agency or services fees is lawfully required as condition of employment, said deductions shall be made irrespective of my membership in the Federation and/or the Local Union thereof. This authorization shall be irrevocable for a period one (1) year from the date hereof or, with respect to any employer having a collective bargaining agreement, until the termination date of the current collective bargaining agreement, whichever occurs sooner. This authorization shall automatically renew itself and be irrevocable for successive annual period unless I give written notice to the Federation and those Local Unions of which I am a member within the fifteen (15) day period following the expiration of any such annual period or, with respect to any employer having a collective bargaining agreement, within the fifteen (15) day period following the termination date of any such collective bargaining agreement.

Signature (Work Dues Check-Off Authorization)

American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada

Note: Dues, contributions or gifts to American Federation of Musicians are not tax deductible as charitable contributions. However, they may be tax deductible as ordinary and necessary business expenses.

Name

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.