When SMR and IGMR merge ...

Annette DanneckerYou are Co-President of the Swiss Music Pedagogical Association (SMPV), a long-standing member of the SMR. How will the pension provision change in the event of a possible merger of your umbrella organization?
Nothing will change for the SMPV insofar as we - like the IGMR - are already the founding association of AK Forte. If the services of this compensation fund are made available to other players in the music industry and the change is not mandatory in every individual case, I welcome that.

How does the collaboration work?
The members of the SMPV pay their AHV contributions via AK Forte, as do the salaries of their employees. The SMPV has a representative on the board of AK Forte who can voice its concerns, e.g. the sustainable management of the fund assets. The cooperation is very constructive, based on partnership and goal-oriented!

After a merger, all members of the SMR would have to settle their accounts via AK Forte.
We have some members who don't do that, and that was and is accepted. Sometimes you simply feel better off with another fund where you have been a customer for many years. AK Forte tries to convince people with good services and not with coercion.

From the perspective of an SMR member, what would be the advantage of a merger between SMR and IGMR?
One advantage is certainly that AK Forte operates throughout Switzerland. If you change your place of residence, you can keep the same fund and contact persons. It also charges very moderate administrative costs, which means that more income is left over. As it is now familiar with the music industry and our patchwork work situations, the specialists can also provide competent information. It also organizes further training courses for our members.

Christian LeuenbergerAs Suisa's Head of Finance, you are responsible for your employees' AHV accounts. And as a member of the IGMR, Suisa is also a member of AK Forte.
We experience the cooperation as professional, friendly and helpful. Inquiries and concerns are dealt with promptly and competently. We can only recommend AK Forte.

Suisa is not a founding organization of AK Forte, but "only" a member. A problem?
No! We are convinced that AK Forte treats all affiliated companies equally competently. We also expect absolutely no disadvantages from a cost perspective.

You are on the board of the IGMR, which is in favor of a merger with the SMR. This would mean the dissolution of the IGMR.
The activities and importance of the IGMR have steadily declined over the last few years. Today, it is an "empty founding association" whose organizational survival is at risk. With the planned merger, the members will be integrated into an active and established association with a national presence. As the IGMR is not overindebted, but also has no funds, the merger will be unproblematic from a financial point of view. The SMR will become the founding association of AK Forte and there will be no changes to the settlement of accounts via the compensation fund for existing members.