Frances Black (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I commend my colleagues, Senators Bacik and Nash, on bringing the Bill forward. Like Senator Warfield, I have been in the music industry for a long time and have worked with many musicians in the past. Freelance workers work hard not only at their career but also in building their reputation and ensuring they have an income so that they do not have to rely on the State. Freelance workers, whether session musicians, voiceover actors or journalists, need the power of collective bargaining in order to ensure that their work is negotiated, taking into consideration their dedication, skill level and commitment to their chosen career. Sometimes we forget the amount of work musicians put in. People go to university and others work as plumbers and have to serve their apprenticeship but musicians have to work extremely hard, as do actors and journalists. The amount of work they have to put in is phenomenal.

Acceptance of this legislation would see that unions representing freelance workers are given the power to negotiate on their behalf and the threats of prosecutions or fines from the Competition Authority removed. Freelance workers, small business owners and those on zero-hour contracts are the most vulnerable in the workforce but at times have the least protection. This is about freelance workers getting a fair day's pay for a fair day's work and the ability to negotiate what that pay should be rather than a race to the bottom. We need to work hard to ensure that this legislation is passed in order to support freelance workers. There was some movement in 2012 to address this issue but the legislation never made through these Houses. I call on all Members to take action to give back to freelance workers and their unions the power to negotiate and to see this legislation passed.