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Collective Representation of I-Pros: Cross-country Analysis

This research project analyzes traditional and innovative organizational forms addressing the demand for collective representation from independent professional workers in Europe. It examines common trajectories across European countries through case studies and qualitative analysis.

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Collective Representation of I-Pros: Cross-country Analysis

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  1. The collective representation of I-Pros. A cross-country analysis Anna Mori (University of Milan) Project financed by the European Commission DG Employment Social Affairs & Inclusion - Agreement no. VS/2016/0149

  2. The background • Erosion of the labour movement in Europe and various forms of crisis of trade unionism • → declining membership and collective bargaining coverage, erosion of mobilisation capacity, membership heterogeneity and difficulty in the aggregation of interests • Industrial, economic, political and social transformations challenged the role of trade unions • → restructuring, digitalization, financial crisis, neo-liberal policies • New challenges:transition to service economy, growth of independent professional workers • → individualisation, extreme atomisation, spatial and physical dispersion • Responses → Attempts of union revitalisation and emergence of new innovative organisational forms • → quasi-unions(Hecksher and Carrè 2006)and labour market intermediaries(Autor 2008) I-WIRE Final Conference - Brussels, 16 March 2018

  3. Research question How do traditional and innovative organisational forms address the emerging demand of collective representation from independent professional workers in Europe? Are there common or similar trajectories emerging across European countries? I-WIRE Final Conference - Brussels, 16 March 2018

  4. Case selection and method • Organisationalresponses from 9 European countries • Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, UK • Empirical evidence drawn from 29 case studies of organisations • Predominantly organising professional self-employed • Relevant experiences within the national context • Diversified experiences • Qualitative analysis based on 50 semi-structured interviews with keynote informants (carried out in 2016-17), complemented by documentary analysis • Two main dimensions of analysis→organisational structure and organisational strategies I-WIRE Final Conference - Brussels, 16 March 2018

  5. The case studies I-WIRE Final Conference - Brussels, 16 March 2018

  6. The organisational structure • Timeframe: recent creation. Large majority of organisations launched during the last 15 years. Innovative experiences prior to union initiatives • SmartDe (2013); vIVAce! (2015); CSC (2015); Platform Union (CFDT 2016) • SmartBe (1998); ACTA (2004); IPSE (1999); Yacht (1999) • Trajectory of creation: top-down revitalization of traditional organisations and bottom-up innovative initiatives (undertaken by self-employed) • CISL→vIVAce!; CFDT→Platform Union; Ver.di→Ver.diSelbstständige; UGT→CTAC • SmartBe; ACTA; SmartDe; AFD I-WIRE Final Conference - Brussels, 16 March 2018

  7. The organisational structure • The internal structure: most of the organisations opted for a formalised and hierarchical structure • Exceptions: movements (CLAP, Movement for Decent Work) and on-line communities (CFDT - Platform Union, CISL - vIVAce!) • Type of membership: predominantly heterogeneous, representing independent professionals in general, rather than a specific profession. • Exceptions: few organisations circumscribe their constituency to specific professions, grouping together self-employed (dominant category) and employees. • → AJP - Association of Professional Journalists in Belgium (75%); MU- Musicians’ Union (90%) and Equity in the UK I-WIRE Final Conference - Brussels, 16 March 2018

  8. The organisational strategies • Servicing model:fiscal and accounting services; legal advice; administrative support for the business contracting; training; personalised general assistance; customised insurance packages at discounted rate • Platform Union (CFDT); vIVAce!; Yacht • SmartBe; SmartDe: new forms of mutualism→ mutual guarantee fund, microcredit, subsidies • Lobbying model: advocacy and lobby actions carried out towards governments, parliaments, public administrations, local policy-makers • ACTA (Jobs Act for Self-Employed) • BDÜ (German Judicial Remuneration and Compensation Act) • PZO-ZZP (Dutch Socio-Economic Council) • Promotion of captivating and innovative campaigns through social networks (#WorkNotPlay, Keep Music Alive, #malusRenzi, Pigiste pas pigeon – freelance not easily fooled) I-WIRE Final Conference - Brussels, 16 March 2018

  9. The organisational strategies • The integrated strategy: service provision (not only for recruitment) combined with lobbying activities • We advise to freelancers and we also make a political and trade union work. Our model is not that of Freelancers Union of the United States. We do not believe that a union can exist only providing services and benefits connected to private insurances. Obviously it's good if you can offer an advantageous health insurance in a country where the welfare is mainly managed by the private market, but this is not enough to call "union" that organisation. • We often explain that part of our activities deal with the discussion of social rights. Obviously no one pays only for making pleasant conversations; that’s the reason why useful services are needed. At the same time you have to be a little bit more than a service if you want to act as a union do, and the union must be a little bit more political to attract freelancers. • (Ver.diSelbstständige) • Association of Professional Journalists, FEDAE, UATAE – Union of Associations of Autonomous and Entrepeneurial Workers, IPSE I-WIRE Final Conference - Brussels, 16 March 2018

  10. The organisational strategies • Collectivebargaining: veryfewcases • Some occupational unions in the creative industry in the UK: MU and Equity with broadcasters, film producers, record companies • Negotiate not only wage floors but also the legal conditions to apply for the transfer of intellectual property rights • We look at thing like working hours, really important in the creative sector, often periods are very very intense for people working in our sector, we look at the structure of the working day, start time, finish time, also on social areas payments, so for Sunday performances or generally for weekend working, overtime payments and things like that. • We also look at provisions like holiday pay which for most self-employed workers it’s not guaranteed but we fight for because we have got the worker status, so we introduce that in our collective agreements as much as possible. • (Equity) I-WIRE Final Conference - Brussels, 16 March 2018

  11. The organisational strategies • Coalition building: most organisations take part to more or less structured and formal partnerships • Industry/sector-wide coalitions:occupational/sectoral organisations build partnerships with associations in the same industry to jointly pursue sector-specific campaigns • AJP + Journalist Union in Belgium; the French AFD + design associations APCI - Agence pour la créationindustrielle; Designers interactifs; Observatoire de l’EcoDesign; FablabWoma; Shangaï Art and design Academy; MU + Equity • Coalition building on self-employment rights: joining forces to lobby and campaign for the wider rights of self-employed workers • ACTA + unions + second-level associations and movements; IPSE +CBI + REC; PZO-ZZP + VNO-NCW I-WIRE Final Conference - Brussels, 16 March 2018

  12. Conclusions • Proliferation ofnew innovative organisational structures → quasi-unions, LMIs and new forms of cooperativism • Trade unions less reactive: belated revitalization through the creation of ad hoc structures, separate from the core union constituency • Servicing model and new mutualism →functional equivalent to the social protections • Transnational emulationvia affiliation to international federations (EFIP) and contamination/transfer (Smart) I-WIRE Final Conference - Brussels, 16 March 2018

  13. Conclusions • Solidarity built from below→ bottom-up trajectory of self-organising • The search for new alliances and coalition-building widely explored, since it represents a positive-sum game • → access to new constituencies, source of legitimacy, strengthening mobilisation capacity • Relevance of mutual acknowledgement and shared understanding of the challenges I-WIRE Final Conference - Brussels, 16 March 2018

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