{
American Federation of Musicians Mission Statement
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.
01/18/2008