Join the union for the UK’s self employed

With no common employer to go to over issues like pay, hours, contracts and the like it would be easy to believe you had to fight your own battles – but there is a union for you and millions like you.

Community Trade Union is a proud champion of the five million strong self-employed and freelance communities across the UK, as well as sole traders whether running as a limited company or a sub-contractor.

We give a strong collective voice to lobby for an extension of workers’ rights to protect the self-employed while maintaining that freedom and flexibility you enjoy. At the moment we’re campaigning around the extension of sick pay to the self-employed.

In the UK the self-employed workforce is the hidden backbone of the British economy. The self-employed make up roughly 15 per cent of our workforce and are pivotal to the UK’s fastest growing and most innovative industries such as in science, engineering, healthcare, the arts, entertainment, the media and to the delivery of other important services across the country.

Why join?

For many people, self-employment is the answer to finding a good work-life balance. It can be extremely rewarding, but it can also mean longer hours, less pay, and more worry about your finances. We’re fighting for a better working world, and we want you to join us.

We’re using our collective voice to raise up the voices of the self-employed and freelancers, and arguing for better support and provisions.

We believe that trade unions are not “also for the self-employed” – they are especially for the self-employed. Throughout the rest of the pandemic and into the recovery, as you fight for the support and rights you deserve, we’ll be by your side every step of the way. You can see more information on the benefits of joining Community as a self-employed person or freelancer here.

Any self-employed person can join our union and be part of the collective voice for the self-employed. Whether you’re self-employed full time or part time, whether you’re a freelancer, sole trader or run as a limited company or a sub-contractor. Whoever you are, whatever your industry and however you work, you’re welcome to join us.

Sign the petition

We’re campaigning for a new deal for the self-employed and we need your help. You can get involved by signing our petition here.

Why Rachel champions the union

Rachel Eden, a member of the Community Trade Union says: “As a self-employed business owner, I know that every self-employed person is different so I asked a few people I know about their experience of being self-employed and all sorts of words – some positive, some negative came up:

“Two things really resonated with me. The first is that it really is an adventure – you have the responsibility to forge your own path and if you think something needs doing or is a good idea the only person stopping you is yourself.”

But, she says, it can be lonely, doing everything on your own – and it doesn’t always get better, even if you employ others. She says the self-employed especially need a union, for support and strength.

“Being part of a union helps with both the support and the loneliness but also can help with the responsibilities you take on. And, one thing that has been demonstrated over and over again in the last few months is the importance of working together.

“I am one of the UK’s self-employed. I love it and I wouldn’t change it, I want the union movement to embrace what we do and to ensure that the millions like me are part of the solidarity between all workers.”

To find out more about us visit our website here.