MU Column: Q&A with Naomi Pohl

Chris Walters: What does the role of MU general secretary involve?

Naomi Pohl: I lead the Union in conjunction with our executive committee. It's a leadership role, managing the organisation and its staff. As an elected post, the general secretary makes promises during the election process which they will deliver on during their five-year term. Union policy should be member-led, so we have many committees feeding into the executive committee, and we also have members’ conferences where policy is formed. My approach is collaborative, and while I have a clear vision for the MU, I want to ensure that we consult and involve members as much as possible. My role also involves representing MU members’ interests to government and the industry.

CW: What was your route to becoming general secretary?

NP: In my 20s I worked at the Writers’ Guild, the UK trade union for script and screenwriters. I loved it and worked my way up through the ranks, taking on the TV and theatre negotiations and organising the Writers’ Guild Awards.

When an opportunity came up at the MU in 2009, I made the jump, and my first role was representing music teachers in London. Again, I worked my way up through various roles at the Union, gathering experience of the different areas of work and negotiating terms and conditions for orchestras, theatre and session musicians. I became deputy general secretary and then decided to run for election last year.

I have been lucky to have two children during my time at the MU and two periods of maternity leave, but this hasn't held me back at all. While women should be able to take that for granted, we can't. Many women find having children is a barrier to career development, at least temporarily, and that has to change if we want to see better gender balance in senior industry roles.

CW: How does music education feature as part of the general secretary's duties?

NP: Music education is a major area of work for our members but also something musicians are incredibly passionate about on principle. Time and again I hear members talk about the opportunities they might have missed had they not had free music lessons. It's a worry for the future. It is my role to campaign and lobby for improvements in music education along with colleagues and activists.

CW: What is the MU fighting for in music education?

NP: We want universal access to music education. This is vital to ensure a diverse talent pipeline into the music industry of the future. However, it's not just about children who might go on to work in music; learning music has many advantages for health and wellbeing and it improves academic achievement in other subjects, as well as being wonderfully valuable in itself.

We are also very much focused on improving music teachers’ pay and conditions. In Wales, there is a commitment to carry out a review of visiting music teachers’ pay and conditions. We'd love that to happen in the other UK nations as well.

CW: How can music teachers get involved in MU campaigning?

NP: Activism can range from sharing MU campaigns on social media, signing petitions, and writing to your MP or local schools or council through to sitting on a committee, or standing as an education rep for the Union. There are a variety of ways to get involved, which teachers can find out about online.

CW: What else is on your desk right now?

NP: Pay and conditions are the priority across the board, and this is an especially challenging time with the cost-of-living crisis, Brexit impact, and Covid impact. We are also pushing for a better deal for musicians from music streaming, and I continue to argue for cultural change in the music industry and education; we still receive regular reports of sexual harassment, and we need preventative action. On Brexit, we are working to provide up-to-date information to our members and at the same time lobbying for an improved deal with European territories. I met Keir Starmer recently and he was keen to help with this.

CW: What are your own musical interests?

NP: I love live music, from the Proms to English National Opera to my favourite festival, End of the Road in Dorset. Theatre was my first love; you can't beat a West End show. In terms of listening at home and on the go, I'm currently enjoying Self Esteem. During lockdown I listened to Bombay Bicycle Club on repeat. Arlo Parks is another of my most played.

CW: What is one key message that you would like to get through to the government about music teachers?

NP: Quality music education can only be delivered by professionals who are paid and treated as such. There is such patchy provision and our members’ pay and conditions vary widely. We see too many zero-hour contracts now. Music education needs to be more highly valued and appreciated for all its positive benefits for children.

musiciansunion.org.uk