Jim Newell - Why I Am a Member of Local 23, AFM
Jim Newell For ten years I made a career in music, but my young family and a desire to use my business degree led me to pursue a daytime business career. I`m retired from my business life now and playing music again full-time. I rejoined Local 23, AFM, after an absence of many years. My success in business taught me the importance of doing things the right way and supporting the industry you work in. Being a union member in good standing has many benefits. Besides the actual benefits package, being a member keeps you ready to take advantage of opportunities in TV and radio. Just as an up to date passport keeps you ready to travel, being a union member in good standing keeps you ready to get a visa for playing overseas. Everyone knows symphony members are the core of any local union, but the growth and perhaps future of the union depend on attracting new members on the distant fringes of legitimate music. We need new members from the musicians who are