Local 427-721’s operating funds come from two main sources:

  • Membership Dues, and
  • Work Dues


These funds are used to provide collective bargaining representation and other essential services to union members as well as to any musicians working under union agreements.

Membership Dues


Regular Member:
Annual Dues: $130.00
Semi-Annual Dues: $65.00
Initiation Fees: one-time Local Initiation Fee (LIF) of $10.00, as well as a one-time Federation Initiation Fee (FIF) of $65.00 if not currently a member of another AFM Local

A person eligible to apply as a Regular Member is classified as the following: performers on musical instruments of any kind and vocalists, arrangers, copyists, music librarians, dancers, support crew, and any other individuals who render musical services and/or reside in the territorial jurisdiction of the Local, subject to the laws and jurisdiction of the American Federation of Musicians. The Applicant may have previously been an AFM member in another Local or is currently a member in another Local; however, former members must have resigned in good standing. The Applicant must be sixteen (16) years of age or older. The membership application of a person younger than sixteen (16) must be attested to by the parent or guardian of the applicant and approved by the American Federation of Musicians.

Life Member:
Annual Dues: $78.00
Semi-Annual Dues: $39.00

A Life Membership in this Local shall be awarded to a current Regular Member who is at least sixty-five (65) years old, can prove a cumulative thirty-five (35) years of AFM membership, and has been a member of this Local for at least five (5) consecutive years. Such members will be subject only to Life Member dues rather than Regular Member dues. The Life Member dues are calculated by taking fifty percent (50.0%) of the amount of the Regular Member dues and all assessments in excess of said Federation per capita dues required to be paid by Life Members. A Life Member shall be entitled to all rights, privileges, and benefits of a Regular Member. 

Youth Member:
Annual Dues: $130.00
Semi-Annual Dues: $65.00
Initiation Fees: Waived

A person twenty (20) years of age or younger may apply to join The Local as a Youth Member without paying either a Federation Initiation Fee (FIF) or Local Initiation Fee (LIF). The Member may remain as a Youth Member until they reach the age of twenty-one (21), at which time they will become a Regular Member at no additional cost (no FIF or LIF). A Youth Member shall be entitled to all rights, privileges, and benefits of a Regular Member and will be required to pay Local dues. 

Student Member:
Annual Dues: $130.00
Semi-Annual Dues: $65.00
Initiation Fees: Waived

A person who is registered as a student in an accredited school, college, or university may apply to join The Local as a Student Member without paying either The Federation Initiation Fee (FIF) or the Local Initiation Fee (LIF). A Student Member may establish their residency within The Local’s jurisdiction using either their parent(s)/guardian(s) permanent address or the physical address of the school where the student is enrolled. A Student Member shall remain in that classification until they are no longer a student, at which time they will become a Regular Member at no additional cost (no FIF or LIF). A Student Member shall be entitled to all rights, privileges, and benefits of a Regular Member and will be required to pay Local dues. 

Contractor Member
Annual Dues: $130.00 + $30.00 premium
Semi-Annual Dues: $65.00 + $15.00 premium
Initiation Fees: one-time Local Initiation Fee (LIF) of $10.00, as well as a one-time Federation Initiation Fee (FIF) of $65.00 if not currently a member of another AFM Local

Any Member, other than an Inactive Member, who files contracts for engagements within the Local, may request that the Executive Board grant them a Contractor Membership designation, which requires payment of a premium of $30.00 above the annual Regular Membership dues. A Contractor Member is not required to pay work dues on themselves as a Contractor and/or as a Side Musician on work they contract, provided that the Contractor Member:  

  1. Files a contract with The Local for the engagement, 
  2. Deducts work dues for Members on the engagement, and 
  3. Forwards proper American Federation of Musicians’ Employer’s Pension Fund contributions on behalf of all Members on the engagement.

Contractor Member status, once approved by the Executive Board, may be renewed each year until the Contractor Member chooses not to renew. If the Contractor Member is found guilty of failing to satisfactorily fulfill the duties outlined here, the Executive Board may revoke the Contractor Member status.

Inactive Life Member:
Annual Dues: $72.00
Semi-Annual Dues: $36.00

A Life Member whose active professional career has ended shall be considered an Inactive Life Member by their application. There will be an accompanying (reduced) Dues Rate coinciding with The Federation’s Inactive Life Membership Per Capita Tax Rate assessment. These members shall retain all rights and privileges of a Regular Membership except that they will not be allowed to vote, hold office, or hold Contractor Membership status.

Work Dues


Any union musician who works under AFM agreements is responsible for paying Work Dues to the Local. These dues help fund the union’s efforts to provide collective bargaining representation and other vital services to AFM members.

Whenever you perform a union music job, a small percentage of the job’s minimum wage—usually between 3.0% and 5.0%, depending on the contract—is collected as Work Dues. These minimum wages, known as the ‘Wage Scale,’ are agreed upon between the union and the employer in collective bargaining agreements. It’s important to note that Local 427-721 contracts don’t prevent musicians from negotiating wages higher than the union’s minimum scale.

Every AFM Local, including Local 427-721, sets its own Work Dues rates. Musicians who belong to Local 427-721 but work outside our jurisdiction might receive a Work Dues bill from the Local where they were employed. Likewise, musicians who are members of another Local but work AFM jobs in our jurisdiction may receive a Work Dues bill from Local 427-721.

Fees

  • Membership dues not paid thirty (30) days after the due date will have added a delinquent fee of $5.00 per month charged to that member, beginning on the first day of each month after the due date. 

  • If Membership dues remain unpaid more than one (1) month past the due date, the Member shall be suspended. 

  • Any Member suspended for non-payment of dues may be reinstated in the Local within six (6) months, upon the AFM-mandated payment of $10.00 and all outstanding dues and accumulated delinquent fees. If outstanding dues and accumulated delinquent fees are not paid by the end of the sixth (6th) month, the Member will be notified by the Secretary-Treasurer. If the Member refuses to pay their dues, the Member will be expelled. 

  • Any Member who has been expelled for nonpayment of annual dues must pay the full Local Initiation Fee (LIF) and current dues plus the equivalent of three months’ worth of annual dues in order to become a Member in good standing. Student and Youth Members are exempt from paying The Federation Initiation Fee (FIF) or Local Initiation Fee (LIF). 

  • When a Member is suspended for any reason, they shall forfeit all rights and privileges of membership until they are reinstated to good standing. 

  • Any Member who resigns in good standing may be restored to full membership within one year from the date of resignation by paying a $5.00 fee and the current dues.

  • Work Dues are three percent (3.0%) of the wage on all engagements played in the jurisdiction of the Local, with the exception of Music Performance Trust Fund (MPTF) Work Dues, which are five percent (5.0%) of the wage. Work Dues are paid to the Secretary-Treasurer no later than sixty (60) days following the last date on which the services were performed.