GFTU BGCM Minutes 2017

what they achieve elsewhere. It will be a mix of traditional and new ways of

working and to establish the best way forward for this new sector it is crucial

that we go back to the essence of why we established collective power. To

navigate these newer forms of working Government and employers will need

engaged employers that help make the sense of work to make work fair for

everyone. Evidence shows that the UK’s most productive industries have the

highest level of union membership, employee engagement and productivity. All

Governments across the UK should look to work with our movement rather

than against it by enforcing legislation that puts us on the back foot. We should

be proud of the significant gains we have achieved on behalf of working

people. We have and continue to make work places safer, smarter, greener

and more prosperous, benefitting not just our members but every sector of

British society.

That is why we have started a new partnership with a self-employed co-

operative called Indicube. Indicube have established 30 co-working spaces in

Wales over the last six years by bringing empty office and retail space to life,

by providing a space for self-employed workers to come together. Our

partnership will bring trade union membership to the users of Indicube spaces

organising them into a collective group with a voice on the issues that matter to

them. It is vital that our movement tackles this issue and fast or risk letting

down an entire new generation of workers. Please support this motion. Thank

you. (Applause)

BRO JOHN SMITH (Musicians Union) seconded the motion.

He said: I am very pleased to second the motion and pleased to be able to talk

about this subject. The one thing I have got to disagree with you, Robert, on is

that unions have worked in this area for many years. My union was formed in

1893 and most of our members, 90% of our members, are freelance and when

you talk about the ‘gig’ economy I have to laugh, because in the context of

what it really means and what we work with and work with all the while, we can

organise in this area and we have to robustly look at the particular kind of work

these people do. We collectively bargain in this area. We bargain with film

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