Digital shift in media, arts, and entertainment poses fresh labour challenges, new study

The sweeping digital transformation of the Media, Arts, and Entertainment sector, a trend supercharged by the COVID-19 pandemic, is creating a novel set of labour challenges and opportunities, according to a new study commissioned by UNI Global Union Media and Entertainment The FIM, FIA, and EFJ. 

The 18-month research, executed by Belgian consultancies Twee-eiige Drieling (TWIIID) and Doenker, focuses on the increasingly digital nature of work in the creative sector. The study highlights rising difficulties in safeguarding the rights and working conditions of non-traditional workers. 

Through a series of roundtable discussions, interviews, and a one-day event titled “Digital Models and Decent Work for Creators” held during the VR-days Immersive Tech WEEK in Rotterdam on December 2, 2022, the study aims to delineate emerging challenges and best practices. It seeks to provide trade unions with strategies to advocate effectively for a workforce that is becoming increasingly digital and economically dependent. 

The findings underscore the need for labour unions to adapt and develop new tools, especially for issues related to streaming and live-streaming, which have gained prominence during the pandemic. The study is intended to serve as a comprehensive overview of the shifting landscape, with the goal of formulating approaches to address the complex labour issues in the rapidly evolving arts, media, and entertainment sector.