Photo Credit: AFM Local 47
Musicians union AFM Local 47 celebrates the passage of California’s SB 186, which it says will save hundreds of its 5,000 members’ jobs across the entertainment industry.
As a proud member of the Entertainment Union Coalition, the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) and Local 47’s 5,000 members are celebrating the passage in Sacramento of SB 186, a bill that it says will save hundreds of its members’ jobs in the entertainment industry. The timing is ideal, as the state’s entire industry continues to suffer from the loss of over 42,000 jobs between 2022 and 2024.
“Jobs recovery of our film and television industry in California is still a work in progress that faced an unintended but intimidating threat from SB 122, which significantly reduced the value of production tax credits and put Hollywood at a disadvantage with other states around the country which are competing for studio production dollars,” said AFM Local 47 President Marc Sazer. “Together with the EUC, AFM members worked with our elected leaders and the governor’s office to save this iconic industry and the thousands of good middle-class jobs that depend on the California Film and Television Jobs Program.”
The legislation sent to Governor Newsom contains critical modifications to the program that supports the fragile recovery of the entertainment industry in California. AFM Local 47 expressed appreciation that Assemblymember Rick Zbur and Senator Ben Allen saw the risk and worked diligently and on an extremely tight timeline to achieve passage in the final hours of this legislative session. Further, AFM Local 47 appreciates Governor Newsom’s commitment to the industry and the bill itself.
Formed in 1897, the American Federation of Musicians Local 47 serves to promote and protect the concerns of professional Los Angeles-area musicians across the industry, from studio musicians on major and indie labels to those who work on major motion pictures and television. Its members, including members of premiere orchestras and symphonies such as the LA Philharmonic, LA Opera, Pasadena Symphony, and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, regularly tour throughout the world.