Music stars in Father’s Day push to demand action over shared parental leave for the self-employed

15 June 2018 - Press release

Music legends have joined forces with campaigners to demand the Government stops short-changing self-employed parents.

Ahead of Father’s Day this year (Sunday June 17), campaign group Parental Pay Equality stepped up its campaign for action with a warning that the government has yet again ignored self-employed parents.

Parental Pay Equality highlighted brand-new figures from the TUC that reveal almost 100,000 dads are missing out on paternity and parental leave due to their self-employed status, despite the Taylor Review calling for improvements to parental leave for the self-employed. (see background note on self-employed fathers for figures)

According to the Government’s own figures released in February, the take-up of shared parental leave could be as low as 2%.

Labour MP and former self-employed actress Tracy Brabin, who starred in Coronation Street, is spearheading the campaign at Westminster to boost shared parental leave for the self-employed with her #SelfieLeave Bill.

The proposed legislation has already attracted the support of stars including Coldplay’s Chris Martin and backing from across the entertainment industry which has high levels of self-employed workers.

 

Coldplay star Chris Martin (a dad of two) said:

“This bill would finally give self-employed artists and technicians an opportunity to share parenting in a way that makes sense for them and their families. So many of our crew, both in the studio and on the road, are freelance, and we don’t want to lose half of that talent when they become parents.”

 

Award-winning sound engineer and founder of Parental Pay Equality Olga FitzRoy said:

“These figures show that while the Government will spend money on an advertising campaign such as “share the joy” to show off its equality credentials, in reality nothing has changed. They seem happy to exclude a quarter of fathers from hands-on parenting. If they were serious about improving shared parental leave they would immediately adopt the proposals in the #SelfieLeave bill that is before Parliament at the moment.”

 

Rudimental’s Piers Aggett (a father of one) said:

"Artists need the ability to share parenting according to need. If women are forced to always be the main carers, we all lose out massively. It’s time for change."

 

Labour MP Tracy Brabin said:

‘It’s high time the Government stopped creating one set of rules for conventionally employed people which leave freelancers and the self-employed behind.

What my bill does is offer a common sense, cost neutral proposal, which would allow self-employed parents to take maternity and paternity leave in a way that suits their family. It would be a positive change for mums, dads and children. Let’s hope the Government listen this Father’s Day.”

 

TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said:

“All dads should be able to spend time with their families when a new baby comes along. When parents share caring responsibilities it helps strengthen relationships – and makes it easier for mothers to continue their careers. But too many fathers are missing out because they don’t qualify for leave – or because they can’t afford to use it. We’d like to see all dads being given a right to longer, better-paid leave when a child is born. And for this to be a day one right for all workers.”