The MU's biennial Delegate Conference is underway in Liverpool. Over two days, MU members from across the Union’s six regions will hold the Union accountable for its activity over the last two years and make crucial decisions about future work.
Good morning colleagues and welcome to Liverpool and to the Musicians’ Union’s 41st Delegate Conference 2025.
My name’s Alex Gascoine. I’m a violinist in the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and Chair of the MU’s Executive Committee.
It’s taken us 132 years however we finally made it to Liverpool. I’ve no idea why it’s taken us so long to hold our Delegate Conference here, however I’m delighted we finally made it.
I’m also pleased to tell you this is the biggest Delegate Conference in our history. We have 62 delegates, 7 visitors from our sections, nations and regions, 19 Executive Committee members and 44 members of staff.
Being a musician is rewarding and challenging
Writing, performing, recording or teaching music can be a hugely rewarding way to earn a living. It can also be a challenging, frustrating and sometimes financially unsustainable career. Jo Laverty, our National Organiser Orchestras, said at the last Association of British Orchestras conference, “We don’t get many calls from members telling us they’re having a great day...”.
We know from the Musician’s Census that we carried out in 2023 that the average annual income for musicians in the UK is approximately £20,700, yet nearly half earn under £14,000.
We also know there are significant pay and employment gaps for women, musicians from the Global Majority, disabled, gay and transgender musicians. Discrimination and sexual harassment also remain pervasive issues.
The Union works tirelessly for members
Over the last two years our staff and officials have continued to work tirelessly on behalf of our members and our industry.
The MU has campaigned at Welsh National Opera, Northern Ballet, English National Opera and the BBC. We’ve also campaigned in support of music in our schools, colleges and universities.
Our General Secretary and senior officials are world experts in copyright and have been campaigning for equitable remuneration with streaming. They’ve made presentations to the Creator Remuneration Working Group set up by the government and continue to challenge record companies and lobby government in support of musicians.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is now firmly on the agenda and highlighting concerns about the potential infringement of the rights of music creators and rights-holders remains a priority.
Representing members in the UK and on the world stage
The Musicians’ Union is also a world leader on the international stage, and I’m pleased to tell you that at the recent International Federation of Musicians (FIM) Congress in Geneva, [former MU General Secretary] John Smith was re-elected as President and Naomi now sits as a member of the Executive Committee.
We also successfully campaigned for gender equality on FIM’s Presidium. Three men and three women, including Tino Gagliardi were elected to those seats.
However, it’s here in the UK where the MU organises, campaigns, negotiates, lobbies and supports its members. Since Covid-19, membership has increased by over 20% and at the end of last month we had 36,429 members.
We have 62 members of staff based throughout the UK including our first official in Northern Ireland.
However, it’s you, our activists, campaigners and committee members, who drive our union. Activists who give up so much of your time supporting our staff, campaigning in the workplace for equality and diversity, fairness and tolerance, and influencing employers, councils and governments.
To all our activists, our regional and section committees and to our staff: thank you for the work and time you dedicate to the MU.
Looking to the future
As unions we must continue to campaign for fair wages, better working conditions, and more accessible opportunities for musicians to earn a living that reflects the value of their talent, experience, discipline and contribution to society.
Naomi Pohl has been General Secretary of the Musicians’ Union now for over 3 years and under her leadership the MU has grown and flourished. We are bigger, stronger and more influential than ever and the MU is respected throughout the industry.
With our Head of Finance Stuart Munday, we’ve made huge strides in ensuring we have a robust financial structure and and under the guidance of John Shortell, equality, diversity and inclusion remain at the centre of everything we do.
We provide a better service to our members than ever before, and I believe the MU is a better place to work than it’s ever been.
Naomi has a strong and positive vision for our union. With her leadership and the huge support she gets from Matt Wanstall and Phil Kear, the MU will continue to grow so we can meet the challenges that lie ahead.
Before we start the business of conference, I would like to offer my personal thanks to our Executive Committee.
It’s an enormous privilege to be a part of this committee. It works with great dignity, discipline, professionalism and, on occasions, a certain amount of humour. Every member treats their role seriously and as Rick Finlay said after one intense and moving debate: “I’m honoured to be in the company of such eloquent speakers...”.
Delegate Conference 2025 is officially opened
I hope you have a great conference. I’m looking forward to meeting and working with you all.
Before I introduce our General Secretary, I now have to do the most important thing I’ll do all week: as Chair of the MU’s Executive Committee, it gives me great pleasure to announce the Musicians’ Union’s 41st Delegate Conference 2025 is now open!