skip to main content

TUC Midlands To Set Up New Black Activists Network and Steering Group

If you are a Global Majority MU member and based in the Midlands area we need you to take up the seat to represent the Union.

Published: 04 October 2022 | 3:13 PM
Black male musician wearing cap and headphones sat in recording studio with mic and acoustic guitar.
The steering group will consist of members from all unions. Image credit: Shutterstock.

TUC Midlands are setting up a Black Activists Network and Steering Group, which will sit beneath the national TUC’s Anti-racist Task Force, which was set up in response to the protests following the murder of George Floyd.

We are looking for an MU member from the Global Majority to take up the seat that has been held for the Union on the Steering Group.

What’s involved 

The steering group will consist of members from all unions, and there will be an initial meeting to discuss and agree the group’s activities and nominate a chair.

Meetings will be quarterly, with some by zoom and some in-person. In-person meetings may take place anywhere within the Midlands, from near Wales to Lincolnshire and it is hoped that the group can meet at the TUC Equalities conference in Birmingham on October 29,, 2022. Expenses will be covered by the MU.

If you are interested in being our representative on this group, please email John Shortell (The MU’s Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) via john.shortell@themu.org by 29 October.

Representing and advocating on behalf of musicians experiencing racism

Our network for members who experience racism is a space where people with shared identities and backgrounds can connect, network and make positive change across the MU and the music industry.

Join our Member Network

The network ensures that the voices of members who experience racism are heard and that opportunities for activism and leadership are created.

Sign up if you are a musician from a Global Majority background to get your voice heard.

Sign up now

Representing and advocating on behalf of musicians experiencing racism

Continue reading

Three wooden blocks with red icons painted on them.

MU Concerned by New EU Customs Fees for Artists Selling Merchandise

A new EU customs charge on low-value parcels is creating additional costs and administrative challenges for musicians selling merchandise directly to fans in Europe. The MU will work to ensure musicians affected by the new legislation are represented at a stakeholder consultation later this year.

Published: 31 July 2026

Read more about MU Concerned by New EU Customs Fees for Artists Selling Merchandise
A brick wall with the flags of Spain and Gibraltar painted on it, overlapping each other.

Spain-Gibraltar Border Changes: What the New Agreement Means for Musicians

New arrangements between Gibraltar and Spain will remove routine border checks for people crossing by land. While the agreement does not change existing rights to work in Spain or the EU, any time spent in Gibraltar will count towards musicians’ 90-day allowance for the Schengen area.

Published: 30 July 2026

Read more about Spain-Gibraltar Border Changes: What the New Agreement Means for Musicians
A pink sign being held up that says

Music Qualifications Reform Debated in House of Lords

Peers from across the political spectrum raised concerns about the Government’s proposed reforms to level 3 music qualifications, with ministers confirming that existing qualifications will remain in place until at least 2030 and announcing a new creative advisory board to help shape the reforms.

Published: 28 July 2026

Read more about Music Qualifications Reform Debated in House of Lords