Charities use emotional blackmail to pressure musicians into performing for free at their events, a musicians’ body has claimed.

The Musicians Union has put forward a motion condemning the “extremely unfair” situation in which musicians, they say, can be pressured into working for nothing to the Trade Union Congress next month. The union says musicians should be enabled to make the choice “freely” like other workers.

“It is wrong that many performing artists are expected to work for nothing when they are engaged for charitable and fundraising events,” the union said in its motion.

“It is extremely unfair to put professional musicians into a situation where they are emotionally blackmailed into working for no fee and are asked to give their services to a good cause. This is particularly unjust when others associated with the event, such as venue staff, lawyers and caterers, are being paid.”

The Congress will be asked to vote on whether it agrees that, while there is nothing wrong with asking someone to donate their professional services for a good cause, “it must always be a choice made freely by the individual and not a decision that they feel pressured into making.”