I do like the pic "freelancers deserve a decent living". If only... But there is no CAT bothering the woman working in her home office in front of her computer - a shameful omission.

There are attempts to fight for freelancers' rights ongoing at the FNC-CSN (Fédération nationale des communications - CSN) and one down in the States against the Boston Globe - think unions and an association of "precarious" workers there is involved. The spokesperson for the latter association - a real Boston Irish guy named Costello - was up here for an Alternatives conference - trying to remember the name of his association.

Yes, I'm inclined to agree with you lagatta - organizing freelancers must be a bit like herding cats.

I don't know about the benefits this new union could offer, though. The CAJ already offers seminars and conferences galore, and PWAC has done some good work in the area of copyright. Frankly I can get better insurance coverage than the Liberty Health stuff those two organizations offer by either buying directly from the insurer or going through my alumni association.

Sure, I would like a union to negotiate better freelance rates and better copyright protection for me. But as a freelancer, I chose to give up all the good things that come with a 9-5 job (i.e., a pension, sick leave, paid holidays). I'm prepared to accept lower wages than full timers in return for never having to sit through a meeting or see the inside of a grey cubicle again. Some might call it a personality flaw, but there you have it.

So how does the union reconcile my Balzac-in-his-bathrobe lifestyle with that of the good folks who report to the office every day? Shouldn't the CEP be protecting its current members from people like me, rather than trying to bring me inside the tent?

(edited to add reply to lagatta)

[ 27 May 2005: Message edited by: Igor the Miserable ]

[ 27 May 2005: Message edited by: Igor the Miserable ]

I have some difficulty equating freelance writers with "employees" (or in some jurisdictions, also "dependent contractors) - who can join unions - given that AFAIK most freelance writers sell to a variety of publications and - beyond providing the finished piece on time - have no obligations to the publisher in terms of hours worked, behaviour while working, etc.

I don't see how, legally, this is going to work.

Of course I stand to be corrected if I've mischaracterized the situation.

Oh, but then again, just noticed this in the link:

quote:

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An effective union for Canadian freelance journalists and communication professionals must have legal standing under federal and/or provincial law and sufficient bargaining power to negotiate minimum payments for work contracted by media, government, corporate, union and non-profit employers. This will require lobbying government to change legislation. To build this union we invite everyone who works as an independent contractor in the Canadian media and communication industries to join.

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quote:

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I have some difficulty equating freelance writers with "employees" (or in some jurisdictions, also "dependent contractors) - who can join unions - given that AFAIK most freelance writers sell to a variety of publications and - beyond providing the finished piece on time - have no obligations to the publisher in terms of hours worked, behaviour while working, etc.

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Over 1800 freelance writers who write for television, movies and radio are already unionized through the Writers Guild of Canada. I don't see any reason why their group should be entitled to union representation but not those who work in the print field. Actually I'm inclined to ask why the WGC has not tried to tackle organizing print writers itself, particularly since media concentration had often brought print and broadcast media into the same conglomerates (i.e. Canwest).

[ 27 May 2005: Message edited by: robbie_dee ]

The "craft" union model is common in the film and television industry and a number of "cultural" sectors along with the construction industry. These are all industries where a worker is not "tied" to a single employer...and to some degree is "freelancing".

"Craft" unions usually negotiate pay scales etc. with an industry association so that common conditions exist across an entire sector.

Does anyone know whether the CEP has been in touch with The Writers' Union of Canada?

I'm not an expert on how active or effective TWUC is, although they have been leading a long and tough battle over copyright with a number of Canadian newspapers, notably the G&M. Last I heard, they are getting somewhere, too, although the legal stages of the case are immensely complex and I'd need a refresher on the details.

quote:

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Originally posted by robbie_dee:

Over 1800 freelance writers who write for television, movies and radio are already unionized through the Writers Guild of Canada. I don't see any reason why their group should be entitled to union representation but not those who work in the print field. Actually I'm inclined to ask why the WGC has not tried to tackle organizing print writers itself, particularly since media concentration had often brought print and broadcast media into the same conglomerates (i.e. Canwest).

[ 27 May 2005: Message edited by: robbie_dee ]

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