The Gladstone Hotel's Art Room turned out to be an apt spot to launch the new alliance between Canada's only agency for freelance writers and a major media union. A historic hotel -- and an age-old problem.
The problem is figuring out how to give collective voice and leverage to people who are, by law and trade, independent.
The solution, proposed Canadian Writers Group founder Derek Finkle, is the freelance alliance between his group and the Canadian Media Guild. And about 40 people who came to celebrate and learn more about the alliance on December 7 seemed to agree.
Finkle explained how and why he started his agency in 2009 and why the next logical step was to join forces with a union in order to enable more people to be represented and increase the bargaining clout for those involved. Lise Lareau, president of the Canadian Media Guild, said that while the Canadian Writers Group will be the agency that does the one-to-one negotiations for clients, the Guild will concentrate on advocating for contractual and legal changes that support CWG's work. Lareau said everyone in the room, no matter their organization or background, will need to work together to push for pay for digital re-use and other rights and that the days of turf disputes between organizations "are over".
Andrew Cash, musician, journalist and NDP candidate in Davenport - a riding that happens to include the Gladstone Hotel - told the group he was excited about the alliance. He said the problems faced by freelancers are part of a bigger network of issues facing all independent/self-employed workers, including access to EI, pensions and benefits. He's organized an "urban workers forum" to push these issues; watch for more info on this initiative soon in this space.
Toronto writer Derek Finkle’s first feature assignment netted him a cover story in Toronto Life. It all started in 1993 when he became the magazine’s first intern. The story was about a sting operation on a paid hit and it introduced Finkle to key police sources that would prove helpful to his later work. But it was a formative experience in…
A new benefits program is available to writers who are members of a dozen organizations, including the Canadian Writers Group. The program is administered by ACTRA Fraternal.[caption id="attachment_183" align="alignright" width="75" caption="Susan Swan"][/caption]The great thing about this program is that premium rates don’t go up the more you…
The launch of the alliance between the Canadian Media Guild and the Canadian Writers Group will be celebrated on Tuesday December 7 at Toronto's Gladstone Hotel (1214 Queen St. West, near Dufferin). The event starts at 6 pm. There will be a brief presentation and a chance to ask questions at 6:30 pm. Snacks and drinks will be served.Please RSVP…
The alliance between the Canadian Media Guild and the Canadian Writers Group was officially launched today. It's a first-ever alliance between an agency that represents independent journalists and a union and will advocate for freelancers on issues such as rates, copyright and digital and re-use rights."I'm proud to be a partner in this alliance,"…
This fall, Rogers Publishing started syndicating work by independent journalists on line. The Canadian Writers Group (CWG) noticed in September that stories from late 2009 and early 2010 by Patricia Pearson and Ellen Vanstone, first published in Chatelaine, were posted on Yahoo’s “Lifestyle” site. When an editor at Chatelaine was contacted,…
A small group of freelancers recently had this experience. They were engaged by a Toronto-based publisher to provide material for some specialized periodicals. The terms of the contract were clear and unequivocal. The price and deadline were set. Payment was due 30 days after publication date.Wait a minute. After publication date, not after…
Virgin's Richard Branson launched his i-Pad magazine today, taking a flyer on the future of digital-only mags. "Project" focuses on "design, entertainment, technology, entrepreneurs." Sounds like a publication after Branson's own heart.<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/17285675?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" width="590"…
We’re hearing that a certain national TV broadcaster – not the CBC – has been inviting people onto national news programs in return for … no payment.Sometimes, it may make sense for you to appear on a program without getting paid for it. If you’ve written a book and you figure going on national television to flog your book is as good a…
GET IT IN BLACK AND WHITE: Always sign a contract before you begin work. Document your negotiations and the promises of your editors. It will help ensure you get paid properly in case there are any disputes.SHOW ME THE MONEY! If you are an experienced freelancer, avoid working for the minimum rates wherever possible. Your fee should reflect your…
