Are you owed money by Venture Publishing?

September 26, 2016 Editor Compensation freelance compensationtrouble spotsventure publishing

In December of 2013 we posted a story about Venture Publishing in Alberta. We'd been hearing from a lot of freelancers who were having trouble getting paid for their work in a timely manner.

Three years later, we're still hearing from freelancers who are waiting as long as 18 months for their invoices to be paid.

Is Venture Publishing remiss in paying for your work in Alberta Venture, Alberta Oil, or any of Venture's custom publications? If so, the Canadian Media Guild's Freelance Branch would like to hear from you.

Please email Branch President Don Genova at freelance@cmg.ca. All correspondence will be kept confidential.

The CMG's Freelance Branch works to improve conditions for freelancers (minimum rates, predictable payment cycles, contract language and more) and garner respect for freelance contributors from peers and engagers.

CANADALAND takes on Alberta’s notoriously slow-paying publisher

August 19, 2016 Editor News delayed paymentsfreelance compensationtrouble spotsventure publishing

The media criticism website CANADALAND published a post this week about Venture Publishing's habit of paying its freelancers extremely late. Edmonton writer Jay Smith spoke with a number of freelancers as well as Venture Publishing's CEO and president Ruth Kelly about the publisher's financial troubles.The publisher, which owns Alberta Venture and…

Writers speak out against The Walrus’s new freelance agreement

June 29, 2016 Editor News freelance contractsthe walrustrouble spots

Last fall, The Walrus’s contributor agreement came under scrutiny during what is referred to by many freelancers as “the Alex Gillis affair.”The incident – which you can read about in detail on Canadaland – led to a discussion on the Toronto Freelance Editors and Writers listserv about kill fees and “idea appropriation.”Literary agent…

Another freelancer alleges “idea appropriation” by The Walrus

June 28, 2016 Editor News idea appropriationthe walrustrouble spots

During the past year, management at The Walrus magazine has been accused of poor treatment of staff and freelancers. This month, another freelance writer has come to Story Board with new allegations.Ontario writer Ann Silversides told Story Board that she pitched a story about a new business to The Walrus last July. The magazine told her that her…

Chatelaine’s call for unpaid submissions

April 27, 2016 Editor News freelance compensationtrouble spots

One of our freelance union members recently brought our attention to a recent call for submissions by Chatelaine magazine. The call-out asks readers to submit full 500-word stories that have not been published elsewhere.Writers whose articles are selected will not be paid for their work.In response to Story Board’s request for comment on the…

Students could be key in Halifax journalists’ strike

February 03, 2016 Editor News halifax chronicle-heraldhalifax typographical uniontrouble spots

by Errol Salamon Journalism students and recent graduates are well placed to support Chronicle Herald newsroom workers in Halifax, who have been on strike since Jan. 23. They can collaborate with newspaper workers as Ontario students did during the Peterborough Examiner strike from November 1968 to April 1969. The Peterborough Newspaper Guild (now…

CWA Canada Associate Members call for solidarity with Halifax journalists

January 22, 2016 Editor News cwa associate membershalifax chronicle-heraldhalifax typographical uniontrouble spots

by the CWA Canada Associate Member steering committeeCWA Canada Associate Members are joining the Halifax Typographical Union (CWA Canada Local 30130) in calling on freelancers and student journalists to stand in solidarity with newsroom staff at The Chronicle Herald who could be on picket lines Saturday morning.Management at the daily newspaper,…

Links between freelancing and gender inequality highlighted by Chronicle Herald labour dispute

January 22, 2016 Editor Journalism e-lancer writeshalifax chronicle-heraldhalifax typographical uniontrouble spots

By Errol SalamonThis post is the first in a series called “E-Lancer Writes.” The series will explore the working conditions, rights, and collective organizing strategies of freelance journalists, interns, and other low-wage and temporary digital media workers. The Halifax Chronicle Herald made headlines last week for contacting freelance…

Freelancers, union leaders urge support for Chronicle Herald staff during labour dispute

January 19, 2016 Editor News chronicle heraldcmg freelancecwa canadatrouble spots

by Rachel SandersSandra Phinney knows exactly how difficult it is to negotiate with the owners of the Halifax Chronicle Herald. The Yarmouth-based freelance writer was offered a harsh contract by the company several years ago.“It was all-rights-grabbing. Including moral rights. And we would be liable if a reader had sued the paper. The onus…

A message to freelancers from the Halifax Typographical Union

January 08, 2016 Editor News halifax chronicle-heraldhalifax typographical uniontrouble spots

CMG Freelance received the following letter from the Halifax Typographical Union this week: January 7, 2015Dear freelance writer/columnist/op-ed contributor,Members of Halifax Typographical Union who work to produce The Chronicle Herald, TheChronicleHerald.ca and the Business Insider recently began bargaining with the Halifax Herald Ltd.This…