The EuroFIA group met in Rotterdam on the 7-8th of October 2018, hosted by the Kunstenbond, which is currently the coordinating union of the EuroFIA group. The meeting was preceded by the final event of the Dance Futures project.
The group tackled a number of major issues, including a panel on the Challenges of Netflix and SVOD more generally. A stimulating exchange of views and experiences led to the decision to put in place a EuroFIA working group on this topic to further develop joint working. The group also took advantage of their visit to the Netherlands to convene a special session on the recent work that has been undertaken to re-balance and re-dynamise the labour market in the cultural and creative sector. The group welcomed Erik Akkermans, advisor to the industry task force on the “Labour Market Agenda” and Peter Van Bunden, who works for Kunstenbond and represents it within the advocacy group Kunsten 92, which was responsible for the Dutch “Fair Practice Code.” Together with Caspar de Kiefte, the panel of speakers described the ongoing and far-reaching efforts to address some of the systemic issues identified in the sectoral labour market. This work has resulted in a road-map to improve the situation: developed and championed by sectoral stakeholders, including the social partners. The first main challenge is to enlarge the earning power by expanding the amount of cultural work. The second challenge is to improve pay by collective bargaining and fair pay and practice. The third is life-long learning and developing access to it to increase sustainable employability. The different panellists detailed the background to this work and the research underpinning it, as well as the range of actions that have been undertaken and will continue.
As always, the group dedicated some time to an indepth update on IP matters, with an exchange of views in relation to the EU Copyright reform; as well as the state of play in relation to the ratification of the Beijing Treaty. The group also welcomed Hester Wijminga, of Thuiskopie, who gave a detailed and interesting update on the state of the private copying regimes in the Netherlands and future challenges.
The group adopted two motions. The first was in response to a proposal from Swiss affiliate SBKV that FIA, and in particular the EuroFIA group, join numerous other trade union federations in expressing their solidarity with the Swiss Trade Union Confederation, SGB (Schweizerischer Gewerkschaftsbund) and its president Paul Rechsteiner in their efforts to protect and maintain Swiss minimum wages in the negotiations of the Framework Agreement between Switzerland and the European Union. The second arose from a report from Conarte, Spain that the Teatro Real in Madrid had announced a proposed production involving the use of 100 unpaid amateurs. The EuroFIA group was pleased to learn, in the wake of our meeting, that the Teatro Real had withdrawn this problematic proposal and so the group communicated the original motion to the Teatro Real together with a letter welcoming their decision to withdraw it.
Motion 1: Note of solidarity to SGB
Motion 2: Resolution on the Use of Unpaid Amateurs in the Teatro Real Madrid
