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Campaign For a Fairer Industry

Protect musicians’ jobs, improve pay and conditions, and keep music live! Explore all the Union's campaigns and how you can get involved

View all MU campaigns
Campaign For a Fairer Industry

Latest campaign news & actions

Exterior of the music building. It is a beige square building with a large sign on it that says

Support Staff and Music Education at Goldsmiths

Staff at Goldsmiths, University of London, including colleagues in the Music Department, are taking sustained strike action over proposed cuts and redundancies, amid wider pressures facing music provision in UK higher education.

Published: 24 September 2026

Read more about Support Staff and Music Education at Goldsmiths
Three people sitting on a long sofa being filmed for BBC Breakfast.

MU Tackles Busking Bans on BBC Breakfast

MU Assistant General Secretary Matt Wanstall spoke to BBC Breakfast about busking bans in cities across England following the introduction of a PSPO in Coventry.

Published: 24 September 2026

Read more about MU Tackles Busking Bans on BBC Breakfast
Close up of someone composing. They are holding an acoustic guitar while sat in front of a computer screen and keyboard, whilst also writing notes on a tablet.

MU Welcomes BBC’s New Commissioning Guidelines for Media Composers

New commissioning guidelines developed by the MU, BBC, BBC Studios Music Publishing and The Ivors Academy will help media composers better understand the BBC's commissioning process, with clearer guidance on contracts, rights, pitching and the use of AI.

Published: 17 September 2026

Read more about MU Welcomes BBC’s New Commissioning Guidelines for Media Composers
The back of a crowd of people holding black placards which show a fist holding crunched up paper with the text

Join the MU at Birmingham’s Unity Rally

On Sunday 4 October, the MU Midlands region will join more than 60 organisations, affiliated TUC trade unions, community groups and charities in Birmingham for a rally celebrating unity over division and hate. MU members are encouraged to join us on the day.

Published: 16 September 2026

Read more about Join the MU at Birmingham’s Unity Rally
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Organise your workplace or local music community

Resources to Help You Campaign and Organise

Are you looking to research an issue affecting your workplace or local music community? Whether you’re discussing an issue, writing a motion or planning a campaign, here are some resources to help get you started

Read more about Resources to Help You Campaign and Organise

Get inspired

Person holding up heart shaped hands at a live gig.

Councillor Tom Plater: How Local Councils Can Still Support the Arts When Budgets are Slashed

In this guest blog, Councillor Tom Plater discusses local authority arts and cultural funding, and explores how local councils can still prioritise this where budgets are cut. Tom also sits on our Members' Assembly as a representative for Young Workers and is an MU East South East Committee member.

Published: 16 September 2024

Read more about Councillor Tom Plater: How Local Councils Can Still Support the Arts When Budgets are Slashed

"Put that @x!*ing money back right now" 

What does the UK public think of music streaming royalties? Watch on TikTok and share.

@wearethemu "Put that @x!*ing money back right now" What does the British public think of music streaming royalty splits - and the fact that some musicians get nothing at all? #FixStreaming Featuring the song "When I Give You My Love" by Sherika Sherard Video description: a musician busks to a decent crowd on the South Bank in London. Some people in the audience are filming, scanning the QR code to give money and putting money in the open guitar case. Then a smartly dressed man approaches and starts to take the money. The busker stops him and the crowd starts shouting at him. He comes back to take more. A man from the audience marches over, grabs the smartly dressed man's hand and forces him to put the money back. The busker and smartly dressed man explain that it is a stunt and call attention to how music streaming royalties are split. The smart man gives back the money and everyone cheers. This is followed by voxpops of people from the audience talking about how music royalty splits makes them feel as fans and consumers of music #Musicians #MusicStreaming #BrokenRecord#MusicIndustry #MusicBusiness #MusiciansUnion ♬ original sound - WeAreTheMU

Music streaming sucks if you're a non-featured artist like Rachel Bolt

Non featured artists deserve a fair share from music streaming. Watch on Instagram and share.

Why might Snoop Dogg be doing so many commercials all of a sudden?

We need a better deal for all musicians and music creators from streaming. Watch on Instagram and share.

Ending coercive buyouts for media composers

Fair Score is a campaign to end coercive buyouts and make the commissioning landscape fair for you – in partnership with The Ivors Academy.

Watch the video and find out more.

Take action against buyouts

Ending coercive buyouts for media composers
1:07 Ending coercive buyouts for media composers

Resources around the web

All active campaigns

Take a look at all the union’s industrial and political campaigns for fairer, more inclusive industry – and take action.