Received from: AUE
In July, AUE published a new report, an inquiry into the lives of the Artists’ Union England membership and the role of contemporary artist unions in building grassroots power in the arts.
Key findings of the report include:
i. 79 per cent do not earn enough from their art practice to live on.
ii. More than 50 per cent earn less than £15,000 a year from all types of work they do.
iii. Cuts to cultural funding and welfare have severely impacted artists’ livelihoods and wellbeing.
iv. The vast majority of members will rely solely on the state pension when retiring.
v. They are less likely to own their own home and to rent privately.
While £126bn is generated for the UK economy annually by creative industries, this wealth doesn’t benefit the vast majority of creatives whose skills, talents and labour are responsible for it.
Congress calls on the TUC to:
a. use the report to raise concerns of self-employed workers
b. work with creative sector / other unions representing self-employed members to strengthen organising
c. ensure issues highlighted in the report are a priority for campaigning
d. write to government highlighting these concerns and seek a meeting to discuss solutions, involving relevant unions
e. call on affiliates who engage self-employed artists to sign up to the AUE Good Practice Charter
f. call on businesses to use AUE rates of pay guidance when engaging visual artists
g. campaign for fair/equal pay, safe and healthy working conditions, access to pensions, affordable housing and studios.
h. campaign for restoration of creative subjects on all school/college curriculums.
Artists’ Union England
AMENDMENT
Add new bullets after bullet h.:
“i. to campaign for tighter rules and penalties on the late payment of invoices”
“j. to work with the UK Labour government to extend the benefits of the Make Work Pay agenda to self-employed workers.”
Community