Musicians join the union for many reasons: they believe in equity and advocacy for their profession, they want to be part of a larger musical community, they find the benefits and services included with membership attractive, or they’re working under a collective bargaining agreement negotiated by your local union or the AFM.

But what does it really mean to be a member of a labor union? And if you’re not one of those folks working under a traditional collective bargaining agreement—usually a contract negotiated by a group of employees working for a single employer in a single workplace—what’s your role in the greater union body? What rights do you have as a worker, and how do you organize?

A labor union only works with participation from all its members. Conditions and dignity improve through collective action. Whether a motivated new member or a long-time unionist, it’s not always clear what rights and protections are available to union workers, or what responsibilities members have to their professional community regarding the choices they make and the conditions they accept. And there’s an even bigger question: how can independent musicians who do all kinds of work, for all kinds of employers, all over the place, organize effectively?

Those were some of the questions at the heart of “Know Your Rights: Unionism for Freelance Musicians,” a new unionism workshop presented by Local 802 and the AFM’s Freelance Services department at the Federation’s headquarters in September. The workshop brought musicians together to explore what unionism and organizing mean in practical terms, with a particular focus on the rights, responsibilities, and challenges facing freelance and independent musicians.

The “Know Your Rights” educational session combined presentation and participation, because the first step of any good organizing campaign is listening. The work and conditions for freelance and independent musicians can vary widely across sectors, genres, and disciplines. Through discussion and breakout groups, participants had the opportunity to talk about issues they’ve experienced in the workplace and the improvements they’d like to see.

Local 802 Recording Vice President Sarah Haines and I shared information about resources and tools available to musicians to protect their live and recorded performances, including easy-to-use single-engagement contracts for live gigs and various rates and agreements available for all types of recording work.

The workshop also explored Federation organizing initiatives focused on equitable treatment in live venues and workplaces, including the Fair Trade Music campaign and Venuology anonymous review platform. Participants were introduced to resources designed to connect musicians with fair, equitable work, including the signatory booking agent program, the AFM Entertainment online international booking agency, and the GoPro Tunes platform, which allows members to sell digital recordings directly without fees.

Most importantly, the workshop underscored the importance of collective action and shared standards to the strength and sustainability of the profession and musical communities, as well as the ways musicians can work alongside fellow musicians, Local 802 leaders, and Federation staff to improve conditions and fight for dignity in the workplace.

The roughly 90-minute workshop was intended only as a starting point for this work. Participants left with ideas, and hopefully new energy, that can be channeled into forming and growing a Local 802 freelance organizing committee. This structured team of musicians will work together to identify specific challenges and strategize around solutions.

Participants will also have the support of Local 802’s leadership, with whom they’ll work closely in developing an organizing strategy. The Federation will also help connect musicians with available resources and staff support.

Freelance organizing committees will become the cornerstone of the Federation’s international freelance organizing strategy. Their work will also inform and guide the newly recognized Freelance Musicians Association –  the Federation’s player conference for independent musicians. The FMA provides a valuable forum to hear about the freelance organizing and support work happening across the Federation, share and learn new ideas, and discuss the challenges facing freelance musicians.

The Know Your Rights workshop is part of the Federation’s broader effort to build stronger connections among freelance musicians and create more opportunities for them to organize around the issues affecting their work. “Knowing Your Rights” isn’t just about knowing what to do when something goes wrong. It’s about understanding what fair treatment looks like, knowing what resources and protections are available to you, recognizing when the conditions of our work fall short, and knowing how to work collectively to change them.

“Know Your Rights” workshops will continue at Local 802, with additional presentations and opportunities for members to participate and discuss the issues affecting freelance musicians. The workshop has received positive feedback from participants so far, with further conversations planned with Local 802 members. To participate in Local 802’s Freelance Organizing Committee or for more information about the next Know Your Rights workshop, please reach out to Local 802 Director of Field Services Sally Weathers at sweathers@local802afm.org.

Wages Argott is the AFM’s director of freelance services and membership development.