European Freelancers' Movement

[doodab]

WHS

FYI, last week I saw an article on Belgian news about a couple of MEP's/ Eurowonks who want a Europe wide guideline on the status of freelance workers; they want the usual guff of 'protecting vulnerable workers' and 'preventing false freelance work', so it's definitely important for a lobby group to work at European level protecting us against meddlesome politicians.

Put simply, we can't really avoid lobbying at that level if we want to keep hold of our way of working.

This is a concern. I think that if I want to give up my "employment rights" for more dough, a slightly different tax status and a notably different relationship with the companies I work for that should not be subject to some tax collector deciding I'm "faking it" because he needs to boost revenues. I'm not against paying my taxes, I coughed up for years when I was clearly inside IR35, but IMO if they want to close tax loopholes they should look at simplifying the tax system, although that is a job for national politicians and not the EU.

In that respect EU legislation could potentially be beneficial, as although they do come out with the odd utterly barmy rule they can also put sensible ones in place sometimes. Enshrining in EU law the status of people working in certain professions through a Ltd or similar legal entity (GmbH etc) as definitely not "false freelance" might not do us any harm for example, and it would be nice we more freedom to be "self employed" as freelance IT workers often are in other countries as well. An EU wide recognition that "serial monogamous" IT workers are actually working on their own account and not just hopping from job to job would go some way to facilitate that and prevent craziness such as IR35 from cropping up.

[Mich the Tester]

+1, I don't need someone to tell me whether or not to work on a particular day. It's my choice, and having that choice is one of the reasons I love contracting.
Having said that, there is a difference between being led and being represented. It's certainly worth having a voice when legislation is being formulated, in order to avoid abominations like IR35. Imagine if we'd had no opt out of the working time directive for example, or were bound by some of the other rules that apply to more conventional employee-employer relationships.

For some of the matters they propose to deal with such as fairness on contracts, access to state contracts, inclusion in official figures and so on it does actually make sense to have some organised lobbying going on IMO. That's part of what the PCG does isn't it?

WHS

FYI, last week I saw an article on Belgian news about a couple of MEP's/ Eurowonks who want a Europe wide guideline on the status of freelance workers; they want the usual guff of 'protecting vulnerable workers' and 'preventing false freelance work', so it's definitely important for a lobby group to work at European level protecting us against meddlesome politicians.

Put simply, we can't really avoid lobbying at that level if we want to keep hold of our way of working.

[doodab]

If you think we all need some guy in a suit in Brussels to lead us through a big dangerous world, you can't possibly be a freelancer to begin with.

+1, I don't need someone to tell me whether or not to work on a particular day. It's my choice, and having that choice is one of the reasons I love contracting.

Having said that, there is a difference between being led and being represented. It's certainly worth having a voice when legislation is being formulated, in order to avoid abominations like IR35. Imagine if we'd had no opt out of the working time directive for example, or were bound by some of the other rules that apply to more conventional employee-employer relationships.

For some of the matters they propose to deal with such as fairness on contracts, access to state contracts, inclusion in official figures and so on it does actually make sense to have some organised lobbying going on IMO. That's part of what the PCG does isn't it?

[norrahe]

Makes no sense whatsoever, just like this freelance movement.

[CheeseSlice]

I followed the link.

The UK’s self-employed creatives are being called to sign a new document launched this week at the European Parliament that puts five tenets at the fore of freelancing’s future.

The Freelancers Manifesto, now open for signatures, states EU freelancers need fairness on contracts and pay, access to state contracts, inclusion in official figures, recognition and "a voice."

If enough UK freelancers sign their names to the manifesto, then an EU Freelancers’ Envoy to champion freelancers’ concerns could be appointed, hope the document’s authors.

In fact, the European Forum of Independent Professionals says an envoy is needed because “for too long” policy-makers have focussed on SMEs, without asking what impact policies for such businesses will have on independent workers, who are the smallest of businesses.

“In order to address this, a specific official for iPros should be appointed, not dissimilar to the current SME envoy,” the EFIP said.

“The iPro envoy would have responsibility for the flourishing freelance community, to act as a champion and ambassador of the independent way of working.”

John Niland, EFIP’s Patron and a freelancer himself, says every freelancer who signs up will represent “another voice calling for recognition of our unique and vibrant way of working.”

He added: “Just like our Manifesto, the [European Freelancers] Movement calls for recognition of the size and importance of our sector, acknowledgement of the good that we do for the economy and a commitment to providing the support we need to continue to flourish.

“If you are a freelancer working in Europe, the Freelancers Movement means that being professionally independent no longer means being isolated.”

WTF...Manifesto??

I smell some brat of a politician who wants to represent us in Europe like some unionist feeding off the misery of badly treated and poorly paid workers. Sorry mate you came the wrong party. Freelancing can be a dog eat dog, survival of the fittest marketplace. If you think we all need some guy in a suit in Brussels to lead us through a big dangerous world, you can't possibly be a freelancer to begin with.

[Brussels Slumdog]

I provide a client facing service so if the client is on holiday then I can't provide a service

[TheCyclingProgrammer]

Hmm...I run my own business. I decide whether or not I want to work on a bank holiday, nobody else! (half day for me tomorrow I think).

[woohoo]

What a load of guff!

Contractors told to sign, not just work, on May Day :: Contractor UK

They obviously have no idea about UK contractors. Most moan like drains when told they can't work (and therefore invoice) on a Bank Holiday...

I must be in the minority then, take all my bank hols off.

[darmstadt]

A bit weird that I'll agree, anyway the May Day holiday here always falls on the 1st May and regardless of what day of the week it is, its a public holiday so you can't work regardless...

[cojak]

What a load of guff!

Contractors told to sign, not just work, on May Day :: Contractor UK

They obviously have no idea about UK contractors. Most moan like drains when told they can't work (and therefore invoice) on a Bank Holiday...