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 Times, Guardian, Yorkshire Post, Labour 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

A black placard being held high in a crowd. The design is of a fist being raised powerfully in solidarity holding a piece of paper in bright blue and pink. The text says

MU to Join Together Alliance Northern Summit on the Role of Arts and Culture in Challenging the Far Right

The MU will be represented at a major anti-racism and community organising event in Manchester on 17 October. The Together Alliance North Summit will bring together trade unionists, activists and community leaders to develop practical strategies to challenge the growth of the far right.

Published: 08 October 2026

Read more about MU to Join Together Alliance Northern Summit on the Role of Arts and Culture in Challenging the Far Right
A woman sat on the floor playing acoustic guitar while a baby reaches out to her and the instrument.

New MU Survey Explores Free Childcare for Working Musicians

The MU is surveying musicians who are parents or carers of children under 18 to understand how current free childcare provision works for those in the industry and to explore alternative models better suited to their working patterns.

Published: 07 October 2026

Read more about New MU Survey Explores Free Childcare for Working Musicians
A musician sitting at a desk in a studio at a digital-audio workstation.

Music Growth Package: What Scotland-Based Applicants Need to Know

New guidance from the Scottish Music Industry Association clarifies how Scotland-based musicians, music creators and music businesses can access funding through the UK Government’s Music Growth Package, including support for international activity.

Published: 07 October 2026

Read more about Music Growth Package: What Scotland-Based Applicants Need to Know