❗69% creative freelancers in Scotland have experienced issues relating to payment at work
Have you?
📣 Ask your MSP to support the Musicians' Manifesto for Scotland!
🔗 Use our template letter: theMU.org/MusiciansManifestoForScotland
#ScotlandMusic
What's it like being a trans man in the music industry?
👇 Read our latest blog from musician and events manager Asher Hoang
🌈 We're proud to share his story - and celebrate the joy, noise and solidarity that follow when trans creatives are fully supported
#LGBTHistoryMonth
📢 Free training opportunity for Scotland members
Want to help challenge the rise of the far right?
The new @gftu.org.uk course gives reps practical tools to counter harmful narratives and rebuild solidarity
Free places (including food + accom) available
📆 13–14 March, Glasgow
👇 Apply by 27 Feb
✊ We’re marching #together against the far right
National demonstration
📅 Saturday 28 March 2026
📍 Central London
Sign-up for updates at togetheralliance.org.uk
Want to join the MU delegation? Email equalities@theMU.org who will arrange t‑shirts and placards
#Together
On the eve of the 4th anniversary of the full-scale invasion, the Trades Union Congress and nine unions representing a majority of organised workers in the UK have issued a statement in solidarity with Ukraine and its workers. Please read + share! ukrainesolidaritycampaign.org/2026/02/23/u...
23.02.2026 09:35 — 👍 47 🔁 35 💬 0 📌 4
It's clear who Reform UK stand for - and it's not workers.
They seek to sow division, while committing to throw our hard-won rights on the scrapheap.
labourunions.org.uk/stop-reform/
✊Busking is real work — and without safe, accessible pitches, performers lose vital income and stability
📣 Sign the petition to call on Westminster Council to replace the pitches lost
❗88% of Westminster buskers surveyed made significantly less or no income in Nov and Dec 2025, compared to the same period in 2024
19.02.2026 16:12 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
❓How have the Westminster busking pitch closures affected performers?
❗81% of Westminster buskers surveyed haven't been able to work at all since the Trafalgar Square pitch was shut down
🧵
#BackYourBuskers
Today marks a major step forward for workers’ rights.
Unions can now spend more time fighting for better jobs, better pay, and better conditions - after most of the Tories’ Trade Union Act is repealed.
📝❌🌹✊
labourunions.org.uk/deliverinfull
"A lot of people have been forced out of being able to busk"
Buskers are campaigning for new viable & accessible busking pitches in Westminster, after busking was banned in Leicester Square last year
Busker Ben spoke to Westminster Extra about what the ban means for London's busking community:
Love. Unity. Hope.
These are the things that will stop the far right in its tracks ✋
Join us in London on 28 March for the Together Against the Far Right national demonstration
Save the date and sign-up for updates
🔗 togetheralliance.org.uk
#Together #WeAreTheMU #BehindEveryMusician #Unity
🏴🐉 It’s Welsh Language Music Day!
Celebrating all forms of Welsh Language music
🔗 Listen to the playlists and learn more
***
🏴🐉 Mae’n Ddydd Miwsig Cymru!
Dathlu cerddoriaeth Gymraeg o bob math
🔗 Gwrandewch ar y rhestrau chwarae a dysgu mwy
#WeAreTheMU #MusiciansUnion #Miwsig
Today we're at the Beacons Cymru Summit - championing the future of Wales’ creative sector ✊
#WeAreTheMU
What are the practical realities of getting top surgery as a trans musician?
From fundraising and touring to recovery, music-making, and mental health, folk musician and activist Maddie Morris reflects on the process
🔗 https://ow.ly/84JL50YcezJ
#LGBTHistoryMonth
Our main event for #HeartUnions week is tonight at Porter's in Cardiff, 7pm.
Let's talk Artificial Intelligence.
Please register to get a welcome drink for FREE:
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/dewch-i-dr...
@bectu.bsky.social @equityuk.bsky.social @wearethemu.bsky.social @writersguildgb.bsky.social
The Musicians' Manifesto for Scotland calls on all political parties to:
✅ Deliver Fair Work for musicians and the creative workforce
✅ Invest in music education and protect instrumental music services
✅ Legislate to help fix streaming and protect Scottish music
How can Scotland protect musicians, strengthen communities and support Scotland’s economy at the same time?
🌟 The Musicians' Manifesto for Scotland 🌟
🧵
9.2.26 1900-2100 #HeartUnions Discussion on #AI.
An opportunity to network :One free drink for everyone who registers in advance through the Eventbrite link!
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/dewch-i-dr...
@bectu.bsky.social @equityuk.bsky.social @wearethemu.bsky.social @writersguildgb.bsky.social
Why is touring in the EU important to UK musicians - and what's it been like since Brexit?
MU General Secretary @naomipohl.bsky.social is speaking to MPs on the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee alongside musician Kate Nash
Watch live!
🔗 parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/...
On my way to speak to the Culture, Media & Sport Select Committee on behalf of @wearethemu.bsky.social and with a busy touring artist, colleagues from @equityuk.bsky.social & the Association of British Orchestras.
We’ll be talking about the barriers to touring in the EU & how to fix them
Record payments to rightsholders from Spotify is positive, except that a big chunk of that goes to labels rather than musicians.
We're campaigning to fix streaming so that all musicians get a fair and guaranteed royalty. Sign and share the petition to show your support!
🔗 bit.ly/FixStreaming
🔌What's PAT testing - and why do you need to get your instruments and equipment tested?
Read more in the latest issue of Amplify!
Download your copy or listen to the audio version at theMU.org/Amplify (for MU members only)
Do you want to #FixStreaming and help musicians keep making the music you love?
Sign our petition to show your support!
🔗 bit.ly/FixStreaming
The headline figures look great, but musicians need to make a living from recorded music use as well as live
Unlike radio, non-featured musicians get no royalties from music streaming at all – even if a track gets millions of streams
We're campaigning to ensure that all performers on streamed music, featured and non-featured, receive a fair and guaranteed royalty
We take the view that music streaming is not retail
People aren't buying music - they're subscribing to listen. That makes it more like broadcast and radio play
That's why we're calling for equitable remuneration
The record label will pay signed artists according to their contracts
But many contracts are outdated and unfair
This makes it harder than ever for musicians to sustain a career – and we believe that public and political opinion on this issue is on our side
Graphic with a pink background. At the top, black text with yellow highlight says "How is music streaming revenue roughly distributed?". In the centre is a pie chart in blue, teal and yellow segments labelled in white text: "Music publisher 15%," "Streaming platform 30%" and at the bottom "Record label 55%" with an arrow point to text on the right "The record label will pay signed artists according to their contracts". Below is a yellow line. Bottom left is the logo "M U Musicians' Union" and bottom right is a white arrow indicating more."
Spotify announced that it pays out more than £11 billion to the music industry
Streaming platforms typically keep around 30% of revenue and pay out the remaining 70% to rights holders
That includes the major labels
