Ethos Public Relations Manchester

BECTU and Co-operativesUK to collaborate on agency for vulnerable workers

by Ethos public relations

BECTU, the UK's media and entertainment trade union, and Co-operatives^UK - the national trade association for all forms of co operative enterprise - are to work together on a new project to address the exploitation of vulnerable workers in the entertainment industry.

The two year project - Co-operative agencies for entertainment industry freelancers - comes after a successful bid to the Union Modernisation Fund, which is run by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) to enable trade unions to develop new practices that will benefit vulnerable workers.

The project - which will be led by BECTU with close support and involvement from Co-operatives^UK - will develop a new co-operative model for an agency that charges commission on earnings rather than up-front fees, treats freelancers fairly and gives freelancers democratic control.

Speaking about the successful bid, Gerry Morrissey, General Secretary of BECTU, said: "The success of our bid gives us the opportunity to find a solution to the abuse which is part of the current set-up; the co-operative model promises greater fairness and more control for those involved.

"We are very happy to be able to draw on the expertise of Co-operatives^UK in the delivery of this project."

The exploitation of freelancers in the entertainment industry is well documented. A 2007/2008 report from BIS - then the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) - found that 26% of the infringements identified by the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate came from the entertainment and modelling industry.

Freelancers use work-finding-agencies, but as these are exempt from the regulation of employment agencies, many of them charge up-front fees and treat freelancers unfairly by failing to find them work.

Dame Pauline Green, Chief Executive of Co-operatives^UK, said: "Co-operatives^UK is delighted to be working with BECTU on this project. We hope a co-operative agency will provide a fair and empowering model that will benefit freelancers and employers alike."

Speaking at the TUC Annual Congress when the winners were announced, Minister for Employment Relations, Lord Young said: "The overall quality of the applications was very high but the bids selected for funding are those which are the most forward-looking and offer the most transformational potential."

Posted at 2^nd October 2009