Jazz icon John Clayton — pictured above with AFM Local 47 President Stephanie O’Keefe — kicked off our 3rd Annual Jazz Festival, which honored Live Members, with a moving speech. Listen to it here:
#FreeThemAll
The arrest and detention of SEIU California and SEIU-USWW President David Huerta was an outrageous and total miscarriage of justice.
Huerta was exercising his First Amendment right to observe and document law enforcement, and his unlawful detention is a direct violation of the Constitution.
While it is a relief that Huerta has been released, we stand with our fellow labor unions in demanding that all charges against Huerta be dropped, and that all those forcibly kidnapped and detained by ICE be released.
Keep California Rolling update: Send in your letters
Standing together, you have sent over 10,000 individual letters to our Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, Senate Pro Tempore Mike McGuire, Senate Budget Chair Scott Wiener and Assembly Budget Chair Jesse Gabriel. These continue to be the key elected officials in the next phase of our fight, and these letters are critical to have your voices heard.
This week, we achieved a major milestone in our fight, but we are not done yet. Continue reading
MI Career & Industry Fair 2025
On May 29, AFM Local 47 was thrilled to exhibit for the second year in a row at the Musicians Institute Career & Industry Fair. The event brought out MI students and alumni, allowing them to meet and network with industry representatives.
Business Representative Russell Winkler and Communications Director Linda Rapka spent the sunny afternoon in Hollywood speaking with a steady stream of inquisitive music students about what they can expect after working their first AFM job and about the myriad benefits of union membership.
Important AFM Update: CA Film & TV Tax Credit Expansion & Musician Jobs
A Message from AFM International President Tino Gagliardi
For the past several months, the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) has lobbied on behalf of musicians regarding Governor Gavin Newsom’s 2025-2026 Budget. For the first time, the AFM has taken a strong, proactive position to ensure we are heard in Sacramento. With thanks to Local 47 (Los Angeles, CA) President Stephanie O’Keefe and AFM local leaders up and down the state, we have been successful. Our union now has a seat at the table among the other arts and entertainment unions and guilds. Continue reading
Keep CA Rolling: SB 630 passes Senate, AB 1138 Passes Assembly
On the afternoon of June 4, SB 630 passed the Senate Floor 34 YES 1 NO, and that evening AB 11380 passed the Assembly floor 70 YES 1 NO.
Our fight continues to MODERNIZE and advocate for the inclusion of the EXPANSION by way of the Governor’s proposed budget.
WHAT CAN YOU DO RIGHT NOW?
1. 📝 Take 2 minutes to submit a letter to key elected officials through our re-launched campaign to ‘Keep California Rolling: Reel Jobs Need Real Action Now!” – send your letter
Continue reading
Final Note: Alf Clausen
Life Member. Composer
3/28/1941 – 5/30/2025
by Pam Gates
I was lucky enough to have worked with Alf and “The Simpsons” TV show orchestra for 12 years!
Alf was a magnificent composer and held wonderful AFM sessions. First and foremost he took care of business. He absolutely knew what musical result he wanted from his players and his crew accomplished that! Continue reading
Join us at LA PRIDE 2025!
Join our Entertainment Union Coalition at this year’s LA PRIDE PARADE in HOLLYWOOD!
Gathering Time: 9:30 a.m. @ La Brea & Sunset (NE Corner)
Parade Start Time: 11 a.m.
This year, we are marching to show our PRIDE and support of our LGBTQ+ community, and to raise awareness of our ongoing fight to protect and grow film and television jobs in our state through our Keep California Rolling campaign and the fight to expand and modernize our film and television jobs program. AFM will be marching alongside Teamsters, SAG-AFTRA, DGA, IATSE, WGA-W and more.
Please register below and we will share full event details as we get closer to the parade date:
June 2025 Overture Online: Tolerance
Inside This Issue:
- Cover Story: Celebrating Tolerance
- Join Us at LA PRIDE 2025 with the EUC!
- AFM Local 47 Special Meeting: Wednesday, June 4 via Zoom
- Member Spotlight: Sir Elton John
- Album Review: ‘That’s a Different Groove’ by Marcus Eley
- 3rd Annual AFM Local 47 Jazz Festival Photo Gallery
- CALL TO ACTION: Entertainment Union Coalition
- Options and Strategies for Replacing Your Wildfire Destroyed Home
- Local 47 Action Alert: Help Improve & Expand LA’s Rent Stabilization Ordinance
- Musicians and Animators Join Together to Help ‘Stamp Out Hunger’
- Production Assistants Rally to Unionize with LiUNA
- Exclusive Hearing Care Savings
- Final Note: Roberto Cani
- Audition Notices: Santa Barbara Symphony, LA Youth Orchestra
- and more!
Browse our full Overture pdf archives here.
For special members-only Overture content — Executive Board minutes, CBAs, Local 47 Wage Scales, Bylaws, Suspended/Expelled member lists, and more — log in to your new E2 member account at ensemble.afm47.org and browse the “Overture” section on the Documents page. (New to E2? Visit our E2 FAQ here.)
Help Improve & Expand LA’s Rent Stabilization Ordinance
The Keep LA Housed Coalition — in conjunction with the LA County Fed, labor unions, renters groups and housing groups — is currently working on the LA Rent Stabilization Ordinance (LARSO) initiative to improve rules for renters in the city of Los Angeles.
The coalition is working with, and advocating for, low-income and vulnerable residents in L.A. who would be directly impacted by an update to LARSO, which is meant to provide for predictable, absorbable rent increases that allow landlords to receive a fair rate of return without fueling increased displacement and homelessness. Continue reading