Motion no: 20
This Biennial Delegate Conference notes with concern the lack of progress in securing the right to collective trade union representation for freelance and economically dependent workers.
Towards 2016, Review and Transitional Agreement, contained a specific commitment to protect freelance workers, who are among the most vulnerable in the economy. Deprived of the social and economic protection provided by trade union membership they are subject to exploitation and abuse. This was reflected in the plight of freelance journalists regarded as undertakings and abandoned as unsecured creditors following the liquidation of Thomas Crosbie Holdings.
Conference again rejects the principle that individual workers should be deprived of protection on the basis of their enforced employment status. Successive Governments have failed to honour this commitment and the current Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation has identified the Memorandum of Understanding with the Troika as the basis for his refusal to bring forward legislation to protect freelancers. Conference calls on Congress to accelerate its campaign for appropriate legislative protection for vulnerable workers required to work as freelance and rejects the concept that competition law should take precedence over the rights of workers. Conference calls on the Government to honour its obligation under the ILO Convention and commends the ICTU for highlighting the position of Irish freelance at international level.
