Our Mission

We are the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada, professional musicians united through our Locals so that:

  • We can live and work in dignity;
  • Our work will be fulfilling and compensated fairly;
  • We will have a meaningful voice in decisions that affect us;
  • We will have the opportunity to develop our talents and skills;
  • Our collective voice and power will be realized in a democratic and progressive union;
  • We can oppose the forces of exploitation through our union solidarity.

To achieve these objectives, we must commit to:

  • Treating each other with respect and dignity without regard to ethnicity, creed, sex, age, disability, citizenship, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, or national origin;
  • Honoring the standards and expectations we collectively set for ourselves in pursuit of that vision, supporting and following the Bylaws that we adopt for ourselves;
  • Actively participating in the democratic institutions of our union.

With that unity and resolve, we must engage in direct action that demonstrates our power and determination to:

  • Organize unorganized musicians, extending to them the gains of unionism while securing control over our industry sectors and labor markets;
  • Bargain contracts and otherwise exercise collective power to improve wages and working conditions, expand the role of musicians in work place decision-making, and build a stronger union;
  • Build political power to ensure that musicians’ voices are heard at every level of government to create economic opportunity and foster social justice;
  • Provide meaningful paths for member involvement and participation in strong, democratic unions;
  • Develop highly trained and motivated leaders at every level of the union who reflect the membership in all its diversity;
  • Build coalitions and act in solidarity with other organizations who share our concern for social and economic justice.