trade union
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- paraselene
does anyone know of a designers' trade union anywhere in the world? would you join one?
- rabattski0
in holland you have the bno. it's a sort of trade union i guess. i would join them if i could although that's not really necessary anymore but back then they didn't accept my application because i have no formal background education wise.
- Beech0
In Australia we have AGDA (aust. graphic design association) who do advocacy and stuff ... but i'm not a member and none of my friends who i graduated with are either so i'm not sure what its like.
There is no specific union as far as i'm aware. But there is a misc. workers union.
- paraselene0
thx. it is interesting. a friend of mine and i were talking about it over dinner last night. but i haven't got any formal training. and neither does he. so...
- Stylus0
i wish there was a union then we could all strike and chant shit like "Workers united will never be defeated" but it wouldn't work because there are to many scabs in the industry as it is.
- Blofeldt0
There should definitley be a creatives union which would encompass designers. It would protect wages and our rights.
I believe D&AD should instigate a union but they're all to busy licking each others arses, congratualting themselves on another batch of shit Gilette adverts.
- Blofeldt0
However, stylus is right. We would all have to get into a union mentality, and all join. Unlikely since we're all children of the Thatcher . Otherwise there will always be scabs undercutting.
- rabattski0
paraselene, dunno, it prolly differs per country, and maybe the bno has changed since then. they need money too to operate you know. it's just that they didn't even bother looking at my portfolio or something. like it's way more important what you've studied than how good you are at it. again, could have changed by now.
- waynepixel0
hahaahh scab. WTF.
- Blofeldt0
All you need to do to be in a trade union is to have a job in the industry and pay your subs. The Musicians Uninion successful, i'd imagine that's the closest to what a designers uninion would be like
- moth0
I wish there was. It would put an end to this "Overtime is unpaid but expected" bullshit we have here... and I know I'm not alone.
- vespa0
kezza mentioned something last year before he left for aus, anyone remember it?
There is also BECTU, the independent union for those working in broadcasting, film, theatre, entertainment, leisure, interactive media and allied areas who are primarily based in the United Kingdom. http://www.bectu.org.uk
- soda0
that looks pretty interesting, been thinking about it for a while too.
My old man goes through the roof when I tell him about some of the working hours we 'have' to keep.
He was a big trade union activist when he worked and the funny thing is even though we think the creative industry is somehow different to other industries. It isn't. We do have rights and they should be respected.*dusts of afghan jacket and adjusts beret
- paraselene0
i think the fact that the subject comes up over sunday roast is indicative of a changing industry. part of me reckons it's a bit rich (screen actors' guild, anyone?) and part of me sees it as an index of the strategic thought emerging from a workforce which was, for the most part, born in the 70s and is starting to grow up.
- numberoneson0
what would happen if all the designers in the world went on a one day strike?
- soda0
there was an interesting study (design week I think) a year or so ago that described how during the worst part of the dotcom crash freelancers actually subsidised the industry. Without the endless diferred payments (in excess of 90 in days in a lot of cases) businesses were able to stay afloat. Freelance creatives became the most important component of the industry, but at the same time the most abused.
Things haven't really changed a great deal!
- Blofeldt0
You all should ask for a copy of this in your stockings by the way
- Blofeldt0
OOPS Wrong thread