At the Feb. 27, 2023 House of Labor meeting of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, delegates voted unanimously in favor of a resolution put forward by AFM Local 47 President Stephanie O’Keefe calling for all musicians hired for LA Fed events to be union musicians.

Further, the resolution calls for the LA Fed to ask all constituency groups and the California Federation of Labor to pass a similar resolution.

The complete text of the resolution is as follows:

A Call for Union Musicians at Los Angeles County Federation of Labor Events

The American Federation of Musicians represents almost 6,000 musicians in the greater Los Angeles area – these musicians play rock and roll, hip-hop, mariachi, classical, jazz, and more. They record the songs you hear on the radio and the music for the movies and TV shows you watch. They perform at weddings, concert halls, parties, graduations, church services, funerals, and any other event at which Angelenos gather. And when these musicians perform or record, they are working under a union contract. Our industry standard collective bargaining agreements cover all of these different areas.

Through the power of collective bargaining, the AFM has won fair wages, benefits, and working conditions, allowing musicians to earn a living wage, receive healthcare, and a retirement pension.

AFM Local 47 is a proud affiliate of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor and stands shoulder to shoulder with all affiliates, including our fellow entertainment unions, to advance a mission of economic justice for all workers. We inherently know that the best pathway toward meeting our overarching goal of an equitable economy for all is through a union contract and collective bargaining agreement, and we want to ensure that musicians hired for events produced by and for unions and the Labor Community are covered by a union contract.

Therefore, be it resolved that:

All Los Angeles locals are encouraged to pass motions calling for their union to only hire musicians working under an AFM contract, whenever possible.

The Los Angeles County Federation of Labor will hire musicians working under an AFM contract for their events and will refer any requests for musicians for Labor Community events to AFM Local 47, whenever possible. If a production company is utilized, the production company will be notified that any musicians hired will be covered by an AFM contract.

Be it further resolved that:

The Los Angeles County Federation of Labor will ask all constituency groups and the California Federation of Labor to pass a similar resolution.