Freelance and Forgotten: widespread exploitation uncovered by unions
Over 50% of arts workers have experienced or witnessed bullying, sexual harassment, or abuse according to stark new research from Scotland’s largest trade union body.
‘Freelance and Forgotten: a report on worker exploitation in Scotland’s creative industries’, launched today by Scottish Trades Union Congress, outlines the scale of abuse suffered by Scotland’s freelance workers in the arts sector.
The data reveals 53% have experienced or seen bullying, harassment, or sexual harassment within the sector, with 32% of workers also having to sign a non-disclosure agreement forbidding them to talk about their work. In addition, testimony given to the report shows that 69% of workers have experienced late payment in relation to their work whilst 33% of not been paid at all for the freelance work undertaken.
The union body, alongside creative arts unions across Scotland, are calling on the Scottish Government to embed Fair Work for Scotland’s freelance and creative workers. The sector, worth over £5 billion to the economy in Scotland and supports over 100,000 workers, could be a “leading light in fair work” according STUC General Secretary Roz Foyer. The report comes as the Scottish Government’s Culture Fair Work Taskforce are due to publish their recommendations on embedding Fair Work within the culture sector.
Commenting, STUC General Secretary Roz Foyer said:
“It’s abundantly clear that, however well-intentioned the Scottish Government are with their Fair Work agenda, it simply does not exist for workers within the creative sector.
“Fair work means fair work. It doesn’t mean, as our report found, hundreds of workers being subject to bullying, sexual harassment and abuse within a sector built upon precarity and inequality.
“The Scottish Government must take seriously our findings and hear the voices of Scotland’s creative workers if we are to protect and enhance their livelihoods. With over 100,000 workers in the sector, the arts in Scotland could be the leading light in fair work. However, that simply cannot be done whilst the rights of creative workers continue to be ridden roughshod by shoddy employers and poor employment practices. This must change and the Scottish Government and all sector partners must work together to make Fair Work a reality.
END
Notes to editors:
The full report, ‘Freelance and Forgotten: a report on worker exploitation in Scotland’s creative industries’, is attached to this release.
Story first appeared within today’s Herald Scotland
Further comments from Scotland’s creative unions can be found below:
Musicians’ Union Regional Organiser, Caroline Sewell said; “Whilst this report will read as somewhat shocking for many, sadly there won’t be many surprises for those working in the creative industries in Scotland who are acutely aware of these issues which this report holds up to the light.
“It is clear from the findings of this report that freelance musicians, and other creative workers are being routinely undervalued, underpaid, and mistreated in an industry that simply could not function without them. Enough is enough.”
Scottish Artists Union:
“The findings from the STUC Freelance and Forgotten Survey & Report are both shocking and unsurprising.
“We knew from our own SAU members’ surveys, and ongoing casework, that freelance artists in the visual arts and applied arts sectors have been experiencing significant exploitation and discrimination.
“Everyone deserves to feel safe and welcome at work. Everyone should be standing up against bullying, harassment, sexual harassment and discrimination in our workplaces. It is vitally important that freelance workers are given the same protections as employed workers.”
The Scottish Society of Playwrights:
“Playwrights have historically been among the better paid, better treated freelancers in the theatre sector. But this is because there are a comparatively small number of us who have been represented in collective bargaining by a trade union, the SSP, for 50 years. This is no guarantee of the future, of course, with uncertainty and commercial timidity infecting our whole industry. The best future we’ve got is in solidarity with our fellow cultural freelancers and in the value our government and people place on our labour.
Writers’ Guild of Great Britain General Secretary, Ellie Peers said:
“WGGB and our freelance members are all too aware of the poor practice that is highlighted in the STUC report Freelance & Forgotten. The report is an important step in raising awareness of worker exploitation in Scotland’s creative industries and a call for action on Fair Work for Freelancers that we support.”
END
Read the full report here:
https://www.stuc.org.uk/resources/freelance-and-forgotten-a-report-on-worker-exploitation-in-scotlands-creative-industries.pdf
RSSGeneral Secretary’s newspaper columns
This is not a just war, it’s terrorism and psychological warfare The Herald, 12th May
It’s time to offer hope - but we can’t do it alone The Herald, 5th May
Reform is the symptom and not the cause of problems The Herald, 28th April
Our industries cannot be Donald Trump’s pawns The Herald, 21st April
Our ferry services could have a bright future – if we grasp it now The Herald, 14th April
It’s ‘Awful April’ and the cost of living crisis continues The Herald, 7th April
Your energy bills are about to go up again. Time to take back control The Herald, 31st March
There is another way. Labour must rediscover its principles The Herald, 24th March
Why do workers pay the price for management failings? The Herald, 17th March
I owe my position to other women - but we must keep fighting The Herald, 10th March
Move by civic Scotland to combat the right is welcome The Herald, 3rd March
The stakes for Scottish Labour have never been higher The Herald, 24th February
It is well past time for tax reform to create a fairer Scotland The Herald, 17th February
The simple truth is we need more teachers The Herald, 10th February
We should all be concerned at the state of our universities The Herald, 3rd February
My parents deaths showed me how vital social care is The Herald, 27th January
US is wrong to claim it has brokered peace in Middle east The Herald, 20th January
James Watt is spouting nonsense about work life balance The Herald, 13th January
Scotland’s policy of higher tax for the wealthy hasn’t hurt wage rises The Herald, 6th January
Scots are losing their jobs as the Just Transition goes backwards The Herald, 30th December
Here’s how we can drive down the cost of Christmas for everyone The Herald, 23rd December
Free bus passes are a lifeline not a luxury The Herald, 16th December
Scottish budget dodged critical decisions The Herald, 9th December
Scotland’s Budget must deliver for workers The Herald, 2nd December
Save Grangemouth project is vital to turn tide on 50 years of failure The Herald, 25th November
Trump is back and the far right is too The Herald, 18 November
We cannot sit back and allow Palestine to die, says STUC chief The Herald, 11 November
Unpicking what the Budget means for workers The Herald, 4th November
John Swinney was right - and Labour must listen, says STUC chief The Herald, 28th October
So many broken promises: why we’ve walked away from care service bill The Herald, 22nd October
We can’t always get what we want. But we can try hard to do so The Herald, 14th October
Good news on tips for workers The Herald, 7th October
Sir Keir needs to invest - not force through endless cuts The Herald, 30th September
We must remember the lessons of the Auchengeich disaster The Herald, 23rd September
Global corporations are destroying Scottish jobs - we must stop them The Herald, 16th September
Want to let Glasgow flourish? Help its children The Herald, 9th September
Scotland’s culture cannot be for rich people only The Herald, 26th August
The deeper issues that both our governments need to address The Herald, 19th August
Far-right hate mob exploited tragedy for their own ends The Herald, 12th August
Public services denigration and nefarious far-right risks The Herald, 5th August
Workers could do with a retirement like Joe Biden will have The Herald, 19th July
Pomp. Pageantry. Performance. Politics. The Herald, 22nd July
The kids are alright and we should listen to them The Herald, 15th July
Labour must tear up anti-union legislation, says STUC chief The Herald, 8th July
Politicans should hedge their bets on the workers The Herald, 1st July
Grangemouth is first test of Labour’s commitment to a just transition The Herald, 24th June
Politicians talk the talk but they don’t walk the walk over education The Herald, 17th June
Media must step up to the plate amid the rise of the far right The National, 15th June
Green Industrial Strategy could create tens of thousands of jobs The Herald, 27th May
Failure to devolve power casts a shadow over Holyrood The Herald, 20th May
Trade unions will work with FM to help end policy failure The National, 18th May
Workers have had enough of nice ideas from the SNP The Herald, 13th May
Scottish and UK governments must not let Grangemouth refinery die The Herald, 6th May
I predict new era of cooperation between Labour and SNP The Herald, 22nd April
Scotland’s support for Palestinians IS making a difference The National, 20th April
Strike action works and we make no apologies for it The Herald, 15th April
Sunak’s Freeports are called Greenports here but there’s no difference The Herald, 8th April
Mandelson has pushed Labour to ‘soften’ New Deal for Working People The Herald, 1st April
Miners’ strike taught us justice is not achieved through asking nicely The Herald, 18th March
Anas Sarwar’s Scottish Labour plans tax cuts for middle earners The Herald, 26th February
Highland workers need action, not more rhetoric The Herald, 2nd February
Grangemouth Refinery closure must be halted The Herald, 24th November
King’s Speech proved how badly we need an election The National 15th November
We march against fascism. Would Braverman want to ban us too? Herald 14th November
We should be furious that workers were thrown to wolves during Covid The National 27th October
SNP Can’t blame Labour deluge on the weather The National 14th October
Why we must fight for the future of further education Herald 13th October
The attack on Unison’s Johanna Baxter is nonsense - here’s why The National 29th September
Labour must commit to the devolution of employment law Herald 29th September
Why we must have a wholesale revolution on social care Herald 12th September
Roz Foyer: First Minister says he ‘isn’t afraid to pick a side’ – so do it The National 9th September
It’s time to pay women fairly. Let the bosses pay the bill The National 1st September
Politicians beware: the people are not prepared to lie down any longer Herald 18th August
Strikes in Scotland seem endless? Well the workers are fed up too The National 12th August
It’s time we took back control of our buses The National 4th August
Two-child benefit cap: Dismay over lack of vision from Labour Herald 21st July
When it comes to care, we must put people before profit Herald 12th July 2023
What can we say about Humza Yousaf’s record after 100 days in the job? The National 8th July 2023
Profiteering is driving up costs and they want you to take the blame. Herald 5th July 2023
We have a real chance to deliver fairness for workers. Let’s take it. Herald 10th June 2023
Never forget Pride is a protest as well as a celebration The National 10th June 2023
The Yes campaign may have stalled but people still want change Herald 6th June 2023
Forget the coronation, profit is king in the UK The National 13th May 2023
The First Minister must stay firm on free school meals Herald 8th May 2023
What are the politicians going to do to rescue our democracy? Herald 13th April 2023
First Minister Humza Yousaf must work with trade unions to succeed The National 8th April 2023
Next first minister must show same respect to unions The National 21st March
Government has turbocharged our resolve on workers’ rights The National 31st January
