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AFM Joins 18 National and Global Organizations to Form Coalition to Highlight Professional Integrity

New York, NY – The American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada (AFM) and a coalition of 18 national and global organizations will announce the formation of Professionals for the Public Interest (PftPI) at a press conference at 9:30 a.m., Wednesday, May 20, in the First Amendment Lounge (13th floor) of the National Press Club. The organizations include professional associations and unions representing professionals in the arts, science, engineering, health, and human services.

“The need for enforcement of a strong code of ethics and standards of professional integrity is vital in today’s turbulent times,” said AFM International President Thomas F. Lee.  “It is imperative that our industries strive to always respect professional and ethical conduct and keep the needs of our peers, employers, clients and the public as our primary goal and motivator.

“The AFM is extremely pleased to be working in coalition with the Department for Professional Employees (DPE), AFL-CIO, professional associations and unions to advocate for the protection of these professional standards and practices.  Our success is imperative and vital to the AFM’s future, as well as all organizations that serve the public good.  We are confident the work of this coalition will bear rich results, best serving the interests of our professional memberships and the public.”

“Professionals across a range of government and private enterprise positions are experiencing pressures and challenges to the integrity of their work. PftPI will engage those professionals, the public, and policymakers in discussing ways to defend against those external pressures,” said DPE President Paul E. Almeida. He termed the event a launch of the coalition and a "national invitation to professionals to tell their stories and share their ideas about integrity at work."

PftPI is also launching its website (www.PftPI.org) to allow professionals to share ideas and experiences related to professional integrity and its connection to the public interest.  The stories will be entered into a contest and several will be highlighted on Labor Day 2009 on the website.  The site also highlights the members of the coalition and their statements on professional integrity.

ABOUT THE AFM

Founded in 1896, the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada (AFM), AFL-CIO, is the largest organization in the world dedicated to representing the interests of professional musicians.

With more than 90,000 members, the AFM represents all types of professional musicians, including those who record music for sound recordings, film scores, videogames, radio, television and commercial announcements, as well as perform music of every genre in every sort of venue from small jazz clubs to symphony orchestra halls to major stadiums.  Whether negotiating fair agreements, protecting ownership of recorded music, securing benefits such as health care and pension, or lobbying legislators, the AFM is committed to raising industry standards and placing the professional musician in the foreground of the cultural landscape.  www.afm.org