How the creative sector has been hit by Covid-19 #FD4F
Writers, journalists, musicians, artists and other creative workers discuss how the pandemic has affected their work and why it's important to have a union to support you.
The creative industry is a major growth sector which is worth more than £111bn to the UK economy, so why is this group of working people so badly treated and bereft of the many rights most employees take for granted?
Since the start of the pandemic many saw their work dry up over night as theatres and music venues shut, sport took place behind closed doors and writing and arts commissions disappeared. What made it so much worse for many was discovering they were not eligible for any of the government’s Covid-19 support, leaving them in desperate hardship.
Pamela Morton, NUJ national freelance organiser, said:
"The pandemic has exacerbated the precarious nature of freelance employment, which within the present legislation leaves the self-employed without many of the benefits and protections enjoyed by their colleagues with staff jobs. That is why the NUJ has launched a major campaign calling for radical reform and a fair deal for freelances.”
In this video, made by Stella Rooney and financed by the STUC, actors, artists, musicians and other creative workers share their experiences since the pandemic and explain why having the support of a union is so important. Mark Fisher, theatre critic and freelance writer explains how vital journalism has been in providing vital, trusted information about Covid-19.