In light of the COVID-19 pandemic’s effect on our livelihoods, the Freelance Solidarity Project is calling on all print and digital publications to adopt a graduated payment schedule and rapid reimbursement policy for freelance work in progress since January 1, 2020. If a submission was assigned, filed, edited, or otherwise considered “in progress” this calendar […]
Reboot book sales with a webinar
After “attending” something called the Movement Makes Five Day Challenge online, I was inspired by host Pedro Adeo to create my own “challenge” and maybe generate some book sales. My idea was to make the first one free: the Building Union 3-Day Challenge to follow up with the Unrig the System Five-Day Seminar for $27 […]
Updates on Non-Payment Grievances
Consumers Digest: On June 2, a judge finally granted our Motion for Default Judgment after Consumers Digest failed to obtain new counsel to Appear on its behalf. This case has dragged on for almost two years as deadbeat publisher Randy Weber seeks to avoid paying our 17 freelancers the $65,000 he owes them. Another hearing […]
Publishers Sue the Internet Archive for Scanning Books
On June 1, four major US commercial publishers sued the Internet Archive for “willful mass infringement” of copyrights by scanning books and distributing copies on the OpenLibrary.org and Archive.org websites, without any permission from, or payment to, the publishers or authors of the works included in those books.
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 […]
We Need Federal Funding for Distance Learning, During the Pandemic — and After
The COVID-19 pandemic has created a huge increase in demand for digital copying and distribution of written (and visual) materials for distance learning at all levels. This includes everything from current news articles to textbook content to literature and non-fiction books. Writers are, of course, eager to make our works more widely available — and […]
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 […]
Not Just About Race: American Dirt has Class Issue
The novel American Dirt chronicles a middle-class Mexican woman and her son on a harrowing journey to the US as they flee cartel violence. Jeanine Cummins’ book is at the center of a train wreck in publishing for its obvious race problems and less visible class issues. The publisher, Macmillian, insisted on positioning the work […]
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NWU is the sole provider of IFJ Press Passes to freelance journalists in the U.S.