It is very unlikely that you would want or let a nonprofessional do work for you, especially if they were unqualified or not recognized as true professionals in their field. For instance, even though you may be playing out at local events and clubs, this alone is not qualifications enough for you to call yourself a Professional Musician. It takes much more to accomplish this task. A Professional Musician must earn the respect of the population and of other musicians in areas besides the ability to play a musical instrument. This is done by belonging and participating in professional organizations such as the AFM, and by practicing professional musicians' ethics.
All professionals have ethics which govern their actions and professions.
The AFM is the recognized Professional Musicians Association. The Racine Musicians' Union is the Racine County AFM charter and your key to AFM membership. In either case, both types of members practice the ethics of a Professional Musician through their membership and participation in their Local, and consequently are recognized as Professional Musicians. We look forward to your membership.