The AFM is calling on the public and all members of the creative community to rally with them in Times Square on Wednesday, March 11, to demonstrate a “unified front” as the union continues its negotiations with the major record labels. This rally serves as a powerful reminder that human creativity is the engine of the entertainment industry and must be protected. We want every working musician—from independent creators to those working in major studios—to know that their voices and concerns are driving this entire negotiation strategy.

AFM Rally for AI Protections & Fair Pay:

• • When: 10 am, Wednesday, March 11, 2026 
  • Where: Times Square (43rd & Broadway), New York City
  • Who: AFM Members, SAG-AFTRA, WGA, IATSE, Teamsters, and all supporters of human artistry.

• RSVP at: https://actionnetwork.org/events/rally-for-ai-protections-and-fair-pay
• Sign the Petition at: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/protect-human-artistry

 

Rally & SRLA Negotiation FAQ

What is the goal of the Times Square rally?

The rally is designed to show the record labels (Sony, Universal, Hollywood Records, and Warner) that the bargaining committee has the full, active support of the membership. By mobilizing in a high-visibility location like Times Square, musicians are signaling their unified demand for a groundbreaking contract that protects human artistry.

What is the SRLA? 

The Sound Recording Labor Agreement (SRLA) is a contract between the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) and record labels (Sony, Universal, Hollywood Records, and Warner). This contract covers the essential terms and conditions under which musicians are hired to produce sound recordings, and it is one of the most significant agreements for professional recording artists. Our collective goal is simple: to secure a fair, forward-looking agreement that fully addresses the realities of the modern music landscape.

Negotiations for the successor agreement began in Los Angeles on January 13–15, with a second round of negotiations beginning March 10th in New York City.

The AFM has identified two priorities for these negotiations:

• Protecting Human Artistry from AI Displacement: Securing “Consent, Compensation, and Credit” regarding the use of musicians’ work in machine learning and generative AI.
  → Musicians’ creative control and financial future are at stake, particularly given the rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI) technology. AI threatens to diminish the value of human artistry, making it an urgent priority to negotiate strong protections and fair compensation.
• Expanding Economic Security and Benefits: Increasing wages and expanding access to healthcare and retirement benefits.
  → For too long, access to critical benefits like health insurance and retirement plans has been uneven. We recognize that every working musician deserves these safety nets. Musicians are actively working to expand and improve health and welfare benefits within this contract.

Beyond the bargaining table, the terms of this contract will provide the structure for musicians to be a leading voice in the international conversation on artificial intelligence (AI) rights. The AFM is actively working in Washington to ensure musicians have a decisive say in how their work is used, sampled, or imitated, advocating for strong mandates that require consent, credit, and compensation.

Is this rally only for recording musicians? No. This is a fight for our creative future. The AFM is using these negotiations to advocate for the entire music and entertainment industries. Whether you are a musician, an actor, a writer, a technician, or a supporter, the issues of AI exploitation and digital parity affect everyone whose livelihood depends on intellectual property and human performance.

What is the “Unified Front”? The entertainment industry is an ecosystem. Musicians provide the scores for films, the soundtracks for series, and the audio for the world’s digital content. By standing together with our colleagues in SAG-AFTRA, WGA, IATSE, and Teamsters, we tell the major corporations that they cannot “divide and conquer” our guilds. We are one labor movement with one goal: a sustainable future for all artists.

About the AFM: The American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada (AFM) is the largest organization in the world representing the interests of professional musicians. With over 70,000 members, the AFM represents everyone from symphony orchestra players to the session musicians who create the soundtracks for the world’s most iconic films and records. The AFM negotiates industry-wide agreements, protects ownership of recorded music, and lobbies for legislative protections to ensure that music remains a viable career for human creators. Learn more at AFM.org.

 

Media Contact:  Antoinette Follett, Director of Communications/PR
American Federation of Musicians of the US & Canada
E: afollett@afm.org | C: 315.383.1028