A widely respected DJ and record producer, John "Jellybean" Benitez has overseen operations at Jellybean Music Group since 1981. Jellybean Benitez stays active in the music industry and maintains membership in the American Federation of Musicians (AFM), which helps musicians come together to fight for fair pay and dignified working conditions.
For decades, the AFM has helped musicians organize and leverage their collective power to fight against unfair working conditions. This is especially important for musicians, who often are not considered employees from a legal standpoint and therefore face unique obstacles in their struggle to improve labor conditions. The need to organize is exacerbated by current threats to musicians’ income, such as outsourcing and low compensation for streamed content.
However, musicians can use innovative strategies to mobilize their network and obtain union contracts, which are legally binding and carry more weight than individual contracts. Once musicians secure a collective contract, they can continue to organize to implement contract campaigns prior to the expiration of agreements they fought hard to obtain. By continuing to use innovative techniques and collaborating with labor organizations, musicians can strengthen their community and build momentum to bring about change and improve working conditions for colleagues throughout the country.
