President’s December 2108 Column

New Sanctuary Coalition I’m working on building a labor delegation to the New Sanctuary Coalition effort to bring thousands of people to the US/Mexico border to greet the Central American refugee exodus. The NSC Call to Organized Labor is here. Please sign on and share widely. So far about 100 union activists and unions have […]

Grievance Officers and Contract Advisors Needed

The NWU’s Grievance and Contract Committee is in search of several members who are interested in volunteering their time to be trained and to serve as Grievance Officers (GOs) and Contract Advisors (CAs).  Why Volunteer? Grievance Officers assist fellow NWU members in fighting to resolve disputes with publishers that may arise from lack of pay, […]

October 2018 President’s Report

If there was any doubt as to who is telling the truth, all you have to do is watch the testimony of Judge Brett Kavanaugh and the Republican Senators’ Day of Rage against Dr. Christine Blaisey Ford. White, male patriarchy was on full display, not unlike a visit to the Ape House at the zoo, […]

Get to Know Us

More than 40 people joined the NWU to get grievance assistance or contract advice during the first six months of 2018. And roughly half of all members who request service—not counting group grievances—are new members. If you’re one of them, welcome to the National Writers Union!  If you joined to pursue a grievance, you may […]

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 […]

NWU Celebrates Frederick Douglass

An Alternative 4th of July Celebration Commemorating Frederick Douglass was truly a community-building event! The event organized by Raymond Nat Turner (Co-Chair NY Chapter, NY Delegate) brought members of the music, literary and political communities together. NWU members Margaret Kimberly and Diane Ward were two of the four readers of Frederick Douglass’ historic 1852 speech, “What Is The Fourth of July To The […]

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 […]

Masacre en Gaza

Palestinian protesters near the fence between Gaza and Israel. Hosam Salem for The New York Times   El lunes 14 de mayo, soldados israelíes mataron a 60 manifestantes palestinos en Gaza. Al menos 2.400 personas resultaron heridas, incluidos 13 periodistas. Según el Ministerio de Salud de Gaza, entre los muertos había ocho niños menores de 16 años, […]

50 Years Since MLK’s Assassination

This month we remember the 50th Anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I had just turned 18, and was a student at Manhattan Community College. Students and thousands of others converged on Central Park for a mass rally while everyone was still in shock. Then, with hundreds of thousands of others […]