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Topic: Is there a union for journalists?
| Author | Message |
| jersey | Posted – 1/20/2007 3:41:35 PM | show profile Is there a union for journalists? Why not? |
| nellie bly | Posted – 1/20/2007 4:06:13 PM | show profile The second part of your question leads me to assume you mean why isn't there just one big union for all journalists. Is that what you mean? There's the Newspaper Guild (affiliated with the AFL-CIO). some of the axed Time employees are members of the Guild, which will help them gte better severance terms. www.newsguild.org For freelancers, there's the National Writers Union, which is affiliated with the UAW (www.nwu.org) I'm a longtime member. I do wish more people would join an advocacy group like the NWU or the Authors Guild. NWU has only 3,500 members right now! If more people joined the union would be able to accomplish more. If you (I'm not addressing this the OP, but everyone who may be reading this!) are new writer and are unfamiliar with the history of the NWU, I suggest you do a little reading. It seems that today people are more interested in joining an online community like Mediabistro rather than an advocacy group. |
| arewrites | Posted – 1/20/2007 10:41:47 PM | show profile Unfortunately, membership in the NWU is currently so low because the NWU has been utterly useless and ineffectual for about a decade and countless members got fed up. The grievance committee members stopped responding to members, let alone doing any actual work. No one bothered to stimulate discussion on the listservs. Various legal efforts failed. No one has yet determined whether Tasini was a good thing or a disastrous thing for writers. It would be wonderful if the NWU would do something -- really *do something -- and have it benefit writers in general. But until then, I imagine more and more members will drop out and fewer and fewer will sign up. Sad. It used to be a great organization. |
| writesonwater | Posted – 1/20/2007 10:49:37 PM | show profile | email poster I've heard good things about ASJA, and I have been a member of SABEW (the Society of American Business Editors and Writers) but I don't get the conferences and it just doesn't seem vital or relevant to my everyday work. I think there's a chapter not far, but I've never heard from them. I like AUthors Guild (have to publish a book first) because they give contract advice to their members and have VERY reasonable telephone workshops that are GREAT. I also like my state's Writer's League of Texas, reasonable workshops and good, regular newsletters, quite helpful. I've heard NWU does grievance stuff, that's disappointing if they don't respond to members. |
| Razor | Posted – 1/21/2007 2:14:51 AM | show profile NWU a waste Don't give one dime to this lousy National Writers Uniton. They do absolutely nothing for you and membership is expensive and not at all set up to benefit the writer. This is from an ex-member. They charge more for full time writers than part time writers, even if part timers make more money. |
| Razor | Posted – 1/21/2007 2:15:06 AM | show profile NWU a waste Don't give one dime to this lousy National Writers Uniton. They do absolutely nothing for you and membership is expensive and not at all set up to benefit the writer. This is from an ex-member. They charge more for full time writers than part time writers, even if part timers make more money. |
| Village Gal | Posted – 1/21/2007 9:28:09 AM | show profile I was also a member of NWU for a long time. Sad to say, I agree with the posters who say the group is ineffectual although I did meet some great people locally. A few months ago, I went to a book fair and the NWU had a table so I spoke the person there, asked why I should rejoin and he was totally unable to convince me! |
| nellie bly | Posted – 1/21/2007 10:23:06 AM | show profile I'm sorry to have to agree with you that the NWU has become ineffectual, but I think it's an exaggeration to call it a "total waste." For example: Grievance counselers: I utilized a grievance counseler about 3 years ago. This program is still part of the NWU. It should be noted that all of the g.c.'s are fellow NWU members and volunteers. In fact, they recruited members for the free training program last year. It was explained that it's quite a commitment of time. So if membership has declined and people who are members (like me) don't have the time to volunteer to become a g.c., well there are going to be fewer counselers available. It's possible if you don't hear back from someone, the person may be on a deadline--just like you!--You will be hooked up with another g.c. UAW benefits: One of the big reasons that I remain a member. I was able to get a credit card through the UAW, which I hadn't been able to get as a freelancer. The UAW credit card also makes one eligible for lots of discounts, such as computer purchase, cell phone, many,many others which I have used and saved me $$$. A lot of people originally joined the NWU for the health insurance and/or the media perils insurance. when they had the med insurance debacle and the media perils became too pricey to offer, they lost those members, and rightly so. (NWU is offering med insurance again, but at this point so are a lot of others, namely Authors Guild, MB, etc.) If I was a member of only one advocacy group, I'd probably choose the Authors Guild over NWU. They are very active on the issues on behalf of all writers. Take a look at their website for a rundown. (www.authorsguild.org) writesonwater: it's a popular misconception that one has to be a book author to join. Not true: you can be a journalist. But they are NOT a union. So we still haven't answered the OP's question. |
| nellie bly | Posted – 1/21/2007 10:36:49 AM | show profile As I said in my first post, it seems that today writers are more interested in joining an online community like Mediabistro rather than an advocacy group. MB claims 550,000 registered users. How many are AvantGuild members? I'd guess more than NWU's 3,500 and Authors Guild's 8,000 put together. Though my guess is the majority are newbie writers who are not yet ready to commit to an advocacy group It's also the "me-ism"--what can I personally get out of this for my membership dollars (for example, MB's How to Pitch info) rather than how can writers benefit as a group (Authors Guild suing Google) |
| nellie bly | Posted – 1/21/2007 11:02:11 AM | show profile MB: 10,200 paid members |
| mailbag | Posted – 1/21/2007 3:27:31 PM | show profile | email poster We do this ourselves "nellie bly --.... it seems that today writers are more interested in joining an online community like Mediabistro rather than an advocacy group." I think the main reason is that we live in an anti-union country. I openly regretted (to the IBM yahoo board) not having joined their union as an employee, but I also feared that joining would put my job at risk. Contrast that with IBM France where all employees by default are represented by a federal-mandated employee run union. So, here we are in a profession that has limited jobs to begin with...flashing a union card is going to make a difference in the USA? Until this country as a whole comes together demanding employee rights against corporate USA, the route of all evil, empoyees really have no rights. In the meantime joining some online community is easy and free and provides a place to share info. SAG is a great union, problem is -- getting in. But no matter how Hollywierdos operate they must work with the unions. Where I think this will change in future is through non-unionized indie films - the fastest growing segment of the film industry. |
| Chamsah | Posted – 1/21/2007 4:20:04 PM | show profile Unions First, I will profess some ignorance about unions. But I do know one thing: because the magazine industry isn't unionized, publishers can get away with 12+ hour work days without paying us a dime of overtime. None of my non-mag friends can believe it. The funny thing is, there are plenty of people willing to work those hours (myself included) but how long can anyone continue to do it without some sort of compensation? Sure, money is a motivating factor. But most publications don't offer extra vacation time or even flex time for working those kind of hours. Where is the incentive? And what about burn-out? That's where a union steps in. Take a look at the overtime requirements. From what I understand, creative fields (like mag publishing) don't qualify because you can't put a time-frame on creativity. It takes as long as it takes, and they'll pay you a flat salary for the effort. To me, and everyone else, that's BS. My friends who are professional musicians (hello, creative field!) are all unionized. They are required to take break time, they work a standard amount of hours a day, and can walk away unless they are paid overtime. I say great for them! And it sucks for the rest of us. And I don't see this changing anytime soon. |
| mailbag | Posted – 1/21/2007 8:14:14 PM | show profile | email poster Chamsah, your point about backup funds is very good too. I think about how the French strikes brought that country to its knees several times in the 1960s-1970s... how did they not work and yet still afford rent and food? Today all we'd be able to do is strike one day and the CEOs would laugh because they know the workforce is screwed. 5 stars for the musician's union btw I forgot that one. :) I agree it will not change in this country until enough people realize it is "we" and not "me" and no that ain't gonna happen. |
| Metro Writer | Posted – 1/21/2007 10:48:54 PM | show profile Mailbag, you are so on target. The main problem, I believe, is that Americans are too complacent, even when they've been screwed. They are under some illusion that somehow they will get into the right channels and Corporate America will do right by them. If anything, things are going to get worse until Americans galvanize to protest every wrong, such as employment at will (at the employer's will) and what passes for a "health" "care" system in this country. |
| caitlinkelly | Posted – 1/22/2007 12:36:06 PM | show profile Unions also rely on the quaint notion of solidarity, so that when workers go out on strike or slowdown no one else will step into their jobs, even temporarily, and win the classic and once-feared label of "scab." I can't imagine many ambitious writers turning up their nose at grabbing whatever chance they're given in a contracting industry, even one filled with long memories. This is an industry accustomed to some of the highest profit margins anywhere -- 15%+ -- thanks to a perpetual oversupply of people dying to work in it. There's no incentive to organize or keep a strong union as we're so often seen as cheap and interchangeable. Having worked in two union newsrooms and watching how useless the Newspaper Guild can be, I'm of mixed feelings about whether grad-degree-educated journo's need a union and what power their union can exercise. If every single member of a major newsroom walked out en masse (would they? over what?), how many hours do you think it would take to re-fill those desks? You can't record a CD or play a symphony or other piece of music without each musician, but how many journalists can honestly say their absence would slow down their publication's production in any significant way? A horn player can't necessarily pick up a violin but many editors can write, if necessary, and vice versa. |
| nellie bly | Posted – 1/22/2007 1:32:49 PM | show profile this thread made me want to learn more about the Newspaper Guild (even tho I'm a freelancer so it seems I can't join/"organize my workplace") Their web site says they have 34,000 members and that they merged with Communication Workers of America. Anyone a member? |
| nellie bly | Posted – 1/22/2007 1:41:17 PM | show profile caitlin--your post didn't show up on the board until I posted my message. it's interesting that people that have used the word "useless" to characterize both the NWU and the Newspaper Guild. it's true in this climate it's every man/woman for him/her self. yet over and over again people are willing to share editors email addresses and other valuable info on this site with a total stranger (actually more than 500,000 total strangers). Has social networking made the "union hall" passe? |
| caitlinkelly | Posted – 1/22/2007 7:10:14 PM | show profile I think it's a really interesting question. I worked in two large newsrooms with Guild representation, (and one without). In one I never needed their help and in one I did -- and when I did, they were utterly and annoyingly useless. And it's not like I could demand a refund on my dues! Face it, your union rep works for the same people you do, and s/he may be a whole lot more interested in keeping their job safe than yours. Having grown up in a family of freelancers, accustomed to having to negotiate everything all the time, the notion of handing one's power to another, or a bunch of others, (i.e. a union) just seemed weird to me. In social networking, we're all deciding to spend a few pennies (or more) of our social capital, maybe in the assumption or hope that it will eventually come back to you. It may well be, certainly after you've been in an industry for a while and tasted life in a few companies or newsrooms, you quickly realize that who you know, whether freelance or staff, is going to be worth a lot more than whatever union rep's you in whatever workplace you're in for a while. I could never see basing my "security" (long loud laugh here) at any job on the strength or willingness of a union to protect me. Frankly, other than (and it's an issue) someone simply gunning for you on harrassment or personality, good skills and allies can often protect you better, and, I think, should. I have not worked at a blue-collar job and the assumption one needs a union may be based on the (erroneous?) assumption that only they can't negotiate well on their own behalf. But it also speaks to the larger power of a strike or slowdown; only if all workers agree to support one another can any action against their employer actually, possibly, have some effect. I don't see many writers, who are de facto deeply individual in their work and ourlook, so doing. Not in this economy anyway. |
| maphop | Posted – 1/24/2007 2:36:59 AM | show profile Irony So, does anyone else find it odd (or ironic) that no one from NWU has jumped in and responded to this thread? |
| nellie bly | Posted – 1/24/2007 8:02:03 AM | show profile yes, I think so, too.. in fact I was about to post the same message myself. I recall a thread awhile back in which some posters had issues with or made some misstatements about the ASJA. Members and officers jumped right in to vigorously defend the organization. Perhaps NWU loyalists do not frequent these boards? |
| maphop | Posted – 1/24/2007 9:33:32 AM | show profile Actually, I AM a NWU member and I am actually a little shocked at the fact that no one from the organization itself has responded. The dues for the National Writers Union are not small and much less than ASJA or SATW or even SPJ so it makes me wonder whether they are just so far out of the loop that it isn't worth it to belong to anymore. |
| mailbag | Posted – 1/24/2007 12:38:56 PM | show profile | email poster "maphop -- The dues for the National Writers Union are not small and much less than ASJA or SATW or even SPJ so it makes me wonder whether they are just so far out of the loop that it isn't worth it to belong to anymore." I admit being a virgin to the whole union join-up... however I have requirements. I do not pay any fee and get nothing in return (outside of fed/state income taxes.) So, the one union I know (SAG) in my opinion is worth the $3,000 annual fee (or whatever it is today.) SAG members get first go at auditions - they get union representation at work - several other perks such as triple the pay for extras plus catered food on the shoot. Were I to join a writers union I would expect NOTHING less. We get first go at writing jobs, we get union reps at the work place to resolve issues, we get union pay rates, that list can go on too. Perhaps what I'm saying is -- why pay to just belong and get nothing in return? Now THIS I'd like a union rep to answer in a public forum if they are really here to help writers. If not, I have a finger I like to use...and have used against SPJ - useless organization. |
| maphop | Posted – 1/25/2007 10:19:02 AM | show profile For general information, the annual dues for NWU range from $120 to $340 a year and the highest rate is for those out there with income levels of only $40K to $60K, meaning that a member earning a very average, middle-income $50K is being charged $340 a year for membership. AFter being a member for many years, I will NOT be renewing this year for multiple reasons but the most pressing one right now is that there's been no response from NWU to this ongoing post. |
| BurbGrrl | Posted – 1/27/2007 7:08:56 PM | show profile union vs. profesisonal organization Part of the problem is that professional orgs like ASJA and SPJ don't really claim to do all that a union does, such as protect jobs and clamor for pay raises and rights. When I was working 12 hour days too, I was often angry that there wasn't a union for magazine editors (or that we didn't all get the same perks, like Conde Nast staff did). Picking up on another thread, the value of membership in professional groups. I'm usually happy to give my $35 a year (or whatever it is) to SPJ since I get some value (though not a lot) from their montly magazine. The Association of Health Care Journalists offers me tremendous value for their fees ($80??) through their listserv, source books, job board, and conferences. But I just forked over more than $300 (ouch!) to ASME in hopes of learning from their workshops, networking, etc. . . . I'm curious to hear from others if they get enough out of ASME. I'm trying it one year for the hopes above, as well as the resume enhancement and the writeoff; next winter I'll re-evaluate. |
| brainfry | Posted – 1/28/2007 1:15:13 PM | show profile How about? http://www.freelancersunion.org/ But it's for freelancers in general, not just journalists. |
