The CNV-KUNSTENBOND (Christian Artists trade-union) will organize a international seminar for the 29th time (august 1-6, 2009)

SOCIAL DIALOGUE ABOUT FlEXICURITY, SAFETY OF WORK and the need for LIFE LONG LEARNING and the practical implications for new work-opportunities (especially for the SELF EMPLOYED/flexworkers), participation of young and old.

This subject is of great importance because in the new economy a fast growing number is self employed/flexworker, but depending on work-suppliers. Easily good workconditions are forgotten with sad consequencies. So what will be the implications for healthy work, education, life long learning, mobility, youth, minorities, etc. Trade unions have to overcome the traditional borders of their services and participate in this new economic reality (with a flexible workforce. Such worker may sometimes depend on even 100 workgivers in a year.
N.B.The trade-unions have neglected these workers for a while, but according national and European reports these workersgroups are the fastests growing sector.Today in a growing number of nations the trade-unions are starting to organize these workers and providing a lot of help, and that is very much needed.Most selfemployed never choose to be in such position. The liberal market view allowed many employers (ranging now from every sector of industry,culture, hospitals and governemental work) to hire workers without employees-contracts. So such non-employee has to arrange now everything himself (taxes, social-security, pension-plan, insurances, healthcare, etc).It gives to the employers a great flexability and less burdens, but on the side on these flex-employees (called selfemployed) the burden is immense and easily needed aspects for safety, health, insurances, pensions are forgotten.

1. What does it mean to be selfemployed (In dutch ZZP) c.q flexworker?.
Why are those workers not employers. Why the trade-unions have to take care for the self-employed (including all the artists). The blessings of being selfemployed and the dangers. Measures to take. Timepressure of workgivers leading to unsafety and unhealthy and unsocial conditions. How is that in the cultural sector. Analyses and paths for directions. Testimonials.

2. SAFE work & the selfemployed/flexworker
•How do we deal with basic situations like safety and health? There is an alarming rate of problems in the cultural sector, because many workers are selfemployed and do not think about these important issues. Timestress, pressure of workgivers, budget cuts, how to survive the stress and being able to have any social life (e.g. raising a family). Can the impossible been made possible. Analyses and paths for directions. Testimonials.

3. FlexaCURITY & the selfemployed/flexworker
• Basic securities are: healthcare, a social net (like wellfare, when needed), a pensionplan, decent housing. These benefits are very normal when you work for an employer (firm, government, industry, bank, shop, etc). But the moment you are selfemplyed nothing seems to be normal anymore, but those securities are needed, it is a matter of social justice and a matter of good governance. So how to organise this for the selfemployed. Analyses and paths for directions. Testimonials.

4. Lifelong learning & the selfemployed/flexworker.
•And life for these selfemployed persons is so hectic that they forget to participate in life long learning programs. The context of this sector is changing so rapidly, that new training, new insights, new technics must be learned, so time for a flexible attitude in learning.
•Good governance will create life long learning facilities for the self-employed.
•Arts and culture as growing economic engines for any state needs special care for the selfemployed artists/cultural workers. Analyses and paths for directions. Testimonials.