Received from: AUE
Congress notes:
i. growing poverty and inequality in the UK, as a result of austerity policies in recent years and cuts in funding to the benefits system before and after Covid, has directly affected those working in the creative industries
ii. many people working in the creative industries are self-employed, often because the work is seasonal, intermittent and/or project-led
iii. in a recent survey more than two-thirds of self-employed workers in the UK were without a regular income and more than half of self-employed workers said they relied on personal savings when not working
iv. self-employed workers are often unaware of the right to join an appropriate union
v. the number of self-employed workers in the UK was officially 4.1 million in 2021
vi. many self-employed workers work long hours, meaning they often work for below the recommended minimum wage, in inappropriate or unsafe situations
vii. many self-employed workers have no sick pay beyond statutory sick pay, no paid holidays and no ability to provide for parental leave.
viii. disabled self-employed workers have greater difficulty getting access to work grants.
Congress calls on the General Council to consult with all relevant unions on how to mobilise, represent and lobby on behalf of self-employed workers, including developing proposals and campaigning for better protections under employment law.
Artists’ Union England