Affiliate programme
http://www.pcg.org.uk/resources/PCGAffiliates.html
With effect from Monday 7 July, the current Associate membership
category is being replaced by a wholly new and enhanced Affiliates
programme. This programme is intended for businesses that
are able to offer services or products of potential interest
to freelancers, possibly on preferential terms. Current Affiliates
include, accountants, training organisations, software providers
and marketing agencies and a host of companies with small
business offerings. Affiliate members will have access to
a dedicated logo which will enable them to associate themselves
more professionally with the PCG and its members.
We have restructured the Affiliate area of the web site,
making it easier to navigate and containing more information
for members and also visitors to the site, details for each
Affiliate member will be added over the next month.
Restructuring the member services section.
http://www.pcg.org.uk/resources/MembersIndex.html
We have also taken the opportunity to restructure the area
of the web site that is dedicated to presenting the range
of member services. This structure will be easier for members
and visitors to navigate and explore, providing us also with
a framework that we can build on over time.
You will also see that we are introducing three new suppliers
who are able to offer a high quality of service:
Hiscox
- Home insurance tailored to the freelance market.
http://www.pcg.org.uk/members/resources/Hiscox.html
SJD
Accountancy - With expertise in acting for freelancers
who operate through their own limited companies. http://www.pcg.org.uk/members/resources/SJD.htm
The
Giant Group - Specialising in developing composite, umbrella
and International services for freelancers. http://www.pcg.org.uk/members/resources/Giant.html
International Labour Organisation
The following is a report from David Ramsden, PCG's Political
Adviser, on his mission to the ILO Convention in Geneva:
"Members will know that I went to Geneva, recently as
a Government Accredited observer to the ILO convention. My
role was to represent the interests of Independent Contractors
(Freelancers).
The ILO is a tripartite organisation consisting of Governments;
Employers and, Workers. In the case of the UK the employers
are represented by the CBI and the workers by the TUC.
Freelancers have no voice, yet the ILO decide matters affecting
their future. The importance for PCG in my being present was
that this year there was a motion that a class of freelancer,
referred by the ILO as "Dependent Contractors" should
be given the status of employee and granted employee rights.
PCG take the view that this is not in our members best interests
and that if the motion were to succeed it could be the start
of a slippery slope. The Independent Contractors of Australia
were also present, accredited by the Australian Government.
Their representative was Ken Phillips who is the General Secretary
of the ICA.
Ken and I operated as a pair and in many ways viewed our
task as a "guerrilla raid" infiltrating as many
groups as we could in an effort to influence. In the event
the British and Australian Governments were against the motion
but not all Governments opposed. The employers Group were
vehemently against the motion and threatened to withdraw should
the motion make progress.
We now know the final outcome of the debate which is the
matter has been deferred to another year with a proposal that
the secretariat of the ILO work towards producing a code of
good practice.
Such a move would suit PCG and therefore we must view our
trip as a success."
Members survey
PCG members are kindly reminded of the survey that we are
conducting and the link to the Survey Monkey website is here:
PCG Survey
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=96419230415
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