skip to main content

MU In Solidarity with West End Performers

A statement from the union regarding Equity’s pay negotiations.

Published: 08 February 2023 | 3:26 PM
Empty red velvet theatre seats.
We are hopeful that Equity’s pay negotiations will be successful. Image credit: Shutterstock.

The MU stands with fellow Unions in our own sector and beyond. We are hopeful that Equity’s pay negotiations will be successful. We need a thriving theatre sector in London and that depends on pay and conditions being good enough to attract the very best performers, both in the pit and onstage.

We will work together with Equity, BECTU and the wider trade union movement to fight for improvements in pay and conditions up and down the country.

Our freelancers particularly need a pay rise. The live performance sector has proved precarious during the Covid-19 crisis and with the cost of living hitting all workers, but with freelancers in the live sector struggling in particular, we remain at risk of talent leaving the business.

Get MU membership today

From gig players to part-time teachers and professional instrumentalists, MU members can access specialist insurance for musicians. This includes Public Liability, Instrument and Equipment Insurance, Accident Insurance, Tax Investigation Insurance, and Professional Indemnity Insurance for music teachers.

Explore our member services

  • Get public liability insurance for musicians
  • Access expert legal support
  • Be represented in your profession
  • Access expert career advice, resources, and training events
  • Connect, network, and get to know the community of musicians

Learn about all membership benefits

Get MU membership today

Continue reading

Festival Diaries: Creative Ways to Approach Sustainability

As the climate crisis intensifies, Aayushi Jain explores the balance between affordability and sustainability on the festival circuit. Drawing on her summer tour last year as an independent artist, she shares practical and creative ways to reduce the environmental impact of touring.

Published: 29 August 2025

Read more about Festival Diaries: Creative Ways to Approach Sustainability
Large, modern, empty recording studio. The mixing desk is facing the booth.

Members Advised to Check PPL Performer Line-Ups on Recordings

PPL (the organisation that collects and distributes royalties for recorded music when it’s played in public or broadcast) is currently investigating reports of inaccurate performer line-ups. MU members are urged to report if they see individuals listed who did not perform on their recording.

Published: 26 August 2025

Read more about Members Advised to Check PPL Performer Line-Ups on Recordings
Close up of the American flag with a burst of sunlight.

US Artist Visa Update – August

An update for musicians travelling to the US, covering proposed changes to ESTA fees and further delays in O and P visa processing.

Published: 26 August 2025

Read more about US Artist Visa Update – August