Art Chowder January | February 2018, Issue 13 | Page 42

Local 105’s jurisdiction spans from the
Canadian border north of Spokane and
Coeur d’Alene, continuing south of Spokane
to the Oregon border and going through
Idaho to the Montana border—do you
support musicians/members from each of
these counties?
The AFM is made up of 240 local unions, do
they offer the same services and programs
in each of the cities and regions across the
US and Canada?
Local 105 of the American Federation
of Musicians was incorporated in 1900,
and we have a lot of local autonomy. All
AFM Locals have referral services and
many other benefits for their members,
however, our goals and priorities are
locally set by our members. Of course,
AFM Locals have differing capacities—
Local 47 in Los Angeles has over 10,000
members while we have just about 200.
But our members keep our doors open,
and we are here to support them.
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ART CHOWDER MAGAZINE
Our geographic area is large but the
majority of our members come mostly
from Spokane and Coeur d’Alene. Of
course, we also have musician members
from the surrounding areas.
Does a musician have to be a certain age to
belong to Local 105?
Musicians of any age are welcome. If
you are doing professional work you are
welcome to join our Local. AFM 105 has
several different types of membership.
Youth or Student Members under the
age of 21 receive reduced rates, as
do musicians attending an accredited
university, college, or community
college. Regular Members pay just
$150 annually, while Life Members,
those who have been with the Union for
thirty-five years or more, also receive a
reduced rate.