By Diane Ward I had the pleasure of attending the International Women’s Writer Guild (IWWG) from July 22- 24. Offerings included keynote speakers, agent and editor panels, pitch sessions, an open mic, workshops, breakout sessions and discussion groups. The conference was an oasis hosted by women for women. Participants were offered a diverse pallet of […]
California Dreamin: SB 98 and Freelancer Protections
California Senate Bill 98 heated up as we entered the summer months. The author of the legislation, state Senator Mike McGuire, intended to grant access to the media to protests and other such actions despite pushback from law enforcement. The bill is meant to provide unfettered access without police authorization because many times it is […]
Poison Pill Threatens Good Legislation
At least 322 journalists have been assaulted, 122 have been arrested or detained and more than 980 have reported press freedoms violations since the beginning of the year, according to the US Press Freedom Tracker. First Amendment Groups and Journalists in California were encouraged when state Senator Mike McGuire reintroduced SB 98 last year following […]
The Capitol Riot
After the Presidential election last November, we ran a piece, “The War Is Not Over.” On January 6, a racist mob, urged on by Trump & Co., attacked the US Capitol building and assaulted media workers covering the riot. Journalists outside the Capitol were threatened and surrounded, equipment destroyed and stolen. “Murder the media” was […]
Introducing The 2020-2021 Freelance Solidarity Project Organizing Committee
Starting October 23rd, 2020, the Freelance Solidarity Project has a new organizing committee. Congratulations to the ten members who were elected by the membership! The committee is listed below, and will hold their positions for a one-year term. If you are not yet a member of the Freelance Solidarity Project and would like more information […]
Cincinnati Police Attempt to Silence Freelance Journalist
A Cincinnati police officer is suing four defendants for libel. One is NWU member Julie Niesen. They are being sued for calling out Officer Ryan Olthaus on social media for flashing the OK sign at a black woman attending a City Council hearing during the BLM protests. That hand-sign has been adopted by the white supremacist […]
IFJ North America Region Meets
IFJ’s North American Region met on May 13, to discuss and coordinate our response to the Covid/financial crisis facing our members and our industry. The meeting included the participation of Unifor (Canada), NWU (US), TNG-CWA (US), NUJ (UK and Ireland), and the Deputy General Secretary of IFJ. To underline the gravity of the situation, the […]
Coronavirus Relief for Writers
Every working person has been hit hard by the coronavirus outbreak. As freelance writers and authors, we’ve seen gigs fall through, projects put on hold, and book tours canceled as the world does all it can to stop the spread. If we fall ill, we have no employee benefits to help us cover that lost […]
CARES Act Pandemic Unemployment Assistance for Freelancers
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) is an act that makes independent contractors/self-employed individuals eligible for up to 39 weeks of unemployment benefits under some circumstances, through December 31, 2020. The PUA program will be in effect as of January 27, 2020, and workers will be eligible for retroactive benefits. Eligibility for Benefits […]
“It Could Be The End”
Since 2004, before anyone knew of Covid-19, more than 2,000 mostly weekly newspapers have been lost to mergers or shutdowns in cities across the U.S. Already struggling, the industry saw a wave of consolidation and further contraction at the end of 2019. The McClaskey Group, the #2 newspaper group in the U.S. declared bankruptcy months […]
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NWU is the sole provider of IFJ Press Passes to freelance journalists in the U.S.