Why We’re Backing AB-5

NWU supports the passage of Assembly Bill-5 (Worker Status: Employees and Independent Contractors). AB-5 is legislation in California designed to end employee misclassification and to bring the protection of state and federal labor law to the millions of workers who are currently deprived of it. AB-5 will require multi-billion dollar corporations to respect those labor […]

Reception for the NWUSO Legal Action Fund

In 2018, the National Writers Union collected more than $200,000 for almost 150 unpaid freelancers by waging Group Non-Payment Grievances. Most of these were settled directly and with the assistance of the UAW Legal Department , some had to go to court. All of the unpaid freelancers were paid 100% of what they were owed. […]

Finally, Ebony Pays!!!

We’re glad to announce that the final 4th quarter payment of the Ebony settlement is complete. The last $18,323 is en route to 16 writers. It was due Dec. 28, but Michael Gibson, president of the ownershp group CVG and CEO of Ebony Media, decided to get this done after being sued in court and slammed […]

RIP Rashod Ollison

The National Writers Union is sad to announce the death of one of our members, Rashod Ollison. Ollison, 41, was an award-winning entertainment writer and music critic whose most recent post was at The Virginian Pilot, where he covered pop music and culture. He has also been a staff critic and feature writer for the […]

Ebony Media and CVG Fail to Pay Freelancers

New York (October 16, 2018) – Ebony Media Organization (EMO) and its parent Clear View Group (CVG) have failed to honor the terms of a February agreement with the National Writers Union (NWU/UAW) and 44 freelancer writers for about $80,000 for unpaid work that was contracted and published. The union filed a case in Cook County […]

NWU Joins Coalition Demanding a Full Investigation into Fate of Jamal Khashoggi

Oct. 11, 2018 The Embassy of The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 601 New Hampshire Ave., NW Washington, DC 20037 Dear Ambassador Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, We, the 30 undersigned journalism and free press organizations, representing thousands of journalists and their supporters, join the United States government and others in urging a full investigation […]

Report to the NWU Delegate Assembly on International Activities, 2015-2018

The market for writing is global, as is the need for solidarity of working writers. Writers from around the world compete for jobs and freelance assignments with publishers around the world. We market and distribute our writing to, and earn revenues from, readers around the world, indirectly (through publishers and licensing agreements) and directly (as self-publishers, especially in […]

Free Manuel Duran

Manuel Duran Ortega is a well-known and respected journalist in Memphis, TN. A former TV station manager in El Salvador, he came to the US more than a decade ago as an undocumented immigrant after his life was threatened. Duran was arrested by Memphis police on April 3, while covering a local immigration rights protest […]

Consumers Digest: Pay Your Writers What You Owe Them

The National Writers Union/UAW 1981 is representing 17 freelance contributors to Consumers Digest Magazine who are owed more than $63,000 for stories that were contracted, completed and published. Some writers have waited more than a year to be paid by a publication that presents itself as a champion of consumers and ethical business practices. On May […]

Stop Racist Attacks on Immigrant Families

The National Writers Union strongly condemns the anti-immigrant policies and actions of the United States government that separates families and kidnaps children. One of the most prominent ways of getting into the States is by applying for ESTA via E Visum Service, which most of the oppressed have, but still continue to be oppressed.  It […]