ISM calls on government to make music workplaces safer

The Independent Society of Musicians (ISM) has today published an open letter addressed to Minister for Women and Equalities Kemi Badenoch MP calling for changes in legislation that would reduce harassment and discrimination in workplaces across the music industry.

The open letter demands that the government make changes to give additional protection to workers and freelancers in the music workforce. It is signed by over 700 people from music organisations of all sizes across the country including UK Music, PRS, PPL, Help Musicians, Black Lives in Music and the Association of British Orchestras as well as individual musicians including Katie Waissel, Howard Goodall CBE, Prof Nicholas Daniel OBE, Ruth Palmer.

ISM Chief Executive Deborah Annetts said: ‘For over 700 individuals to come together and publicly demand change in this way is extraordinary and shows how deeply held the desire for improvement is. The music sector has today sent a strong message to the government and I hope that Kemi Badenoch listens and acts.’

The letter lays out five steps to improve safety in the music workplace:

• Amend the Equality Act 2010 to ensure that all those working in the music sector are protected (including freelancers) and provide clearer definitions around worker status.
• Reintroduce rights around third-party harassment to protect those who experience discrimination from audience members, clients, or customers.
• Reintroduce the use of discrimination questionnaires to make it easier to challenge discriminatory behaviour at work.
• Extend the time limit for bringing discrimination cases from three months to six months.
• Implement the recommendations of the Women and Equalities Select Committee report into Sexual Harassment in the Workplace.

This letter follows the September 2022 release of the ISM’s Dignity at work 2: Discrimination in the music sector report which found that with 66% of respondents had experienced some form of discrimination while working in the music sector, with 78% of discrimination committed against women in the industry.

In the letter the ISM estimates that ‘discriminatory practices in workplaces cost the UK economy £127 billion in lost output every year’. The Society adds: ‘By taking steps to improve our sector, you will not only be helping to keep us, as workers, safer: you will be contributing to strengthening a world-leading industry. Our industry will be stronger if it is safer.’