skip to main content

New PACT Agreement

We are delighted to have reached a three-year agreement with the Producers Alliance for Cinema & Television (PACT) which went live 1 March 2020.

Published: 05 March 2020 | 12:00 AM Updated: 28 April 2021 | 4:30 PM
Photograph of popcorn on a red carpet.
We are delighted to have reached a three-year agreement with the Producers Alliance for Cinema & Television (PACT). Photo credit: Shutterstock

Rates will increase year on year by 2% during the term.

Adjustments to terms include:

  • Travel – emphasis away from a London centric approach
  • Porterage – Tuba plus mutes added to Category D
  • Multi-episodic – ability to record incidental music for up to 12 episodes with as many musicians and/or sessions as desired, so long as paid for at Combine Use Scale 1

There was also clarity to definitions:

  • Overdubbing - the following test shall be applied for overdubbing: ‘After recording, would the Musician be able to replicate the same performance (say in a live concert) without the requirement of an extra player.’
  • Call – defined as the attendance of a Musician at a studio on a single date, subject only to the breaks specified in the applicable clause of this Agreement. To the extent that if there is a break of two (2) hours or more between two (2) sessions on the same day, that would be regarded as two (2) separate calls.
  • Film (for sake of low budget) - an audio-visual work which will receive a theatrical release to a public paying audience.
  • Promotional Use – clarification that the ‘work’ can be used to promote only for the purposes which the work was first recorded (without further payment)

Read the full agreement.

When you are booked for an independent film or tv session or have a concert performance recorded (either for broadcast or dvd, web etc), please ensure the production company are clearing your rights by agreeing PACT fees. You should be signing a consent form.

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

Close up of legs running on a treadmill.

Discounted Gym Membership Now Part of MU Benefits

Following the success of our discounted hotel room benefit, we’re now offering MU members exclusive access to reduced-rate gym memberships with The Gym Group — one of the UK’s leading fitness providers.

Published: 01 August 2025

Read more about Discounted Gym Membership Now Part of MU Benefits
Naomi Pohl on stage addressing Delegates at Conference.

“Collective Action Works”: MU General Secretary Naomi Pohl Addresses Delegate Conference 2025

Last week marked the Union’s 41st biennial Delegate Conference, and the largest attended in our history. We’ll be sharing videos and highlights soon, but in the meantime, you can catch up on MU General Secretary Naomi Pohl’s opening speech, outlining the Union’s work over the past two years.

Published: 31 July 2025

Read more about “Collective Action Works”: MU General Secretary Naomi Pohl Addresses Delegate Conference 2025