skip to main content

TUC launches £15 National Minimum Wage Campaign

Show your support for a £15 minimum wage with the Trades Union Congress (TUC).

Published: 20 September 2022 | 11:59 AM Updated: 20 September 2022 | 1:47 PM
Out of focus picture of a busy UK high street with cars, taxis and pedestrians visible.
[The autumn of action will continue with a national day of action on Friday 14 October, and a mass lobby of Parliament on Wednesday 19 October. Photo credit: Shutterstock]

The TUC is calling for a £15 national minimum wage as soon as possible, and policy to put higher wages at the heart of the UK’s economic strategy.

Sign the TUC's petition for a £15 minimum wage.

This petition is just the first step in the fight for £15. Over the next few weeks, the TUC will be holding townhall rallies across England and Wales.

The autumn of action will continue with a national day of action on Friday 14 October, and a mass lobby of Parliament on Wednesday 2 November. Find out more from the TUC about the mass lobby and sign up using this form.

A framework to get wages rising

More than a decade on from the 2008 financial crisis, UK workers are earning £88 a month less in real terms.

We’re living though what the TUC describe as the “longest and harshest wage squeeze in 200 years,” and for many it is the biggest cost of living crisis in a lifetime. Meanwhile CEO pay has gone up 39%.

In addition to a £15 minimum wage, the TUC wants to see a return to normal wage growth to get average wages up and a 75% minimum wage target.

Read more in the TUC’s report 'Raising pay for everyone'.

Making the minimum wage fair for all workers

Speaking to the BBC, TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady also made the case for young workers for whom the minimum wage starts at just £4.62:

"If they're working as hard doing the same job, why should they be discriminated against simply because they're under 23?"

The TUC’s call was also picked up by The TimesGuardianYorkshire PostLabour List and Independent.

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

Out of focus interior of a school music classroom, with students practicing musical instruments and an acoustic guitar in the foreground.

Let’s Demand More for Music Hubs

With a new report suggesting that music hubs are facing a £161.4 million black hole, MU National Organiser Chris Walters looks at how we got here and invites members to take action.

Published: 20 February 2025

Read more about Let’s Demand More for Music Hubs
A large vibrant banner saying “It’s our time, Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture”, outside of the Science and Media Museum building.

MU Signs MOU with Bradford 2025 City of Culture

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is a framework which ensures that creative workers engaged in Bradford’s upcoming programme of events, as newly appointed City of Culture for 2025, receive fair pay and working conditions.

Published: 20 February 2025

Read more about MU Signs MOU with Bradford 2025 City of Culture
London cityscape with Houses of Parliament and Big Ben tower at sunset.

MU Lobbying Update: How We’re Representing Members in Parliament

The MU’s Head of Communications and Government Relations, Isabelle Gutierrez, reports on a busy month of highlighting musicians’ issues in parliament, with updates relating to streaming, music education, and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Published: 20 February 2025

Read more about MU Lobbying Update: How We’re Representing Members in Parliament