On October 29, the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada (AFM) held a hybrid Town Hall meeting at the Nashville Musicians Association (Local 257) to update members on Sound Recording Labor Agreement (SRLA) negotiations ahead of talks resuming November 3–5. AFM International President Tino Gagliardi opened the meeting and outlined the current status of SRLA bargaining. 

Heading into the fifth round of contract talks this year, the union remains committed to securing the strongest possible agreement for musicians, music prep personnel, and artists. However, negotiations have stalled because the major record labels refuse to adopt protective guardrails for AI development and generative music: consent (our explicit right to approve or refuse AI training on our work), credit (transparent recognition for our performances), and compensation (a direct share of revenue whenever catalog recordings generate value in AI deals). Additionally, we are fighting to strengthen healthcare funding and streamline payment systems to keep benefits reliable and accessible.

“The record labels cannot claim copyright protection for master recordings while completely ignoring the human performers who recorded them,” said AFM International President Tino Gagliardi. “Our fight at the bargaining table centers on ensuring working musicians are not displaced by AI or exploited by labels. If labels profit from AI deals that use our work, the artists behind those recordings must receive fair payment.”

Healthcare coverage was a core topic of discussion, with a focus on securing Entertainment Industry Flex Plan contributions. AFM International Secretary-Treasurer Ken Shirk outlined the Flex Plan benefit structure, detailing the efforts during this negotiation cycle to mandate pre-tax healthcare contributions for all musicians working under the contract. Additionally, Local 47 (Los Angeles, CA) President Marc Sazer provided perspectives from Local 47 members enrolled in the Flex Plan, highlighting the value of these dependable, portable benefits.

The panel featured Local 257 President Dave Pomeroy, who welcomed everyone to the Nashville Hall and along with AFM Electronic Media Services Division (EMSD) Director John Painting, discussed the importance of contract work. AFM General Counsel Susan Davis detailed the federal lawsuit the AFM filed against Universal Music Group, Warner Records, and Atlantic Records. The suit calls out the labels for breaching existing collective bargaining agreements by licensing catalog tracks to AI developers without paying musicians their required new use fees. A clear double standard exists: record labels aggressively sue AI tech companies to protect their master copyrights, yet they attempt to deny the human performers who actually made those recordings a fair cut of the money.

To rally industry and public support, the Federation recently launched the “Human Made, Human Paid” campaign. Local 47 member and producer/arranger Will Wells spoke candidly about what is on the line for everyday working musicians. AFM Communications Director Antoinette Follett highlighted the power of member and ally voices in mobilizing global support. Organizing Services Director Gabe Kristal closed with an urgent call to action, stressing that building bargaining leverage takes total solidarity before the meeting transitioned into an open Q&A with in-person and online attendees.

As talks resume, the AFM’s message is clear: the future of music belongs to the musicians who make it—not record labels seeking to profit from our work. Take a stand against the unfair exploitation of musicians’ work by signing the petition at: www.HumanMadeHumanPaid.com.