A call for federal support for writers’ and arts workers’ benefits plans

In the video above, Susan Swan, novelist, journalist, and former chair of the Writers' Union of Canada, discusses the Writers’ Coalition Benefits Program, which offers affordable drug, health, and dental care insurance to writers.

The Writers' Coalition's latest initiative, coinciding with the federal election, is a campaign to get Ottawa to commit to provide $1 million over the span of five years to facilitate a 10 to 15 per cent reduction in premiums for its new benefit plan.

In addition to covering those in the writing and publishing sector, the coalition is now reaching out to visual artists, musicians, recording artists and backstage performers with its Arts & Entertainment plan. According to a 2010 study by the Cultural Human Resources Council, of those working in the writing and publishing sector, only 12 per cent have access to dental benefits, 13 per cent have a drug plan, and just seven per cent have a retirement plan. For arts freelancers in Canada, for whom the Arts & Entertainment plan was created, the numbers are similar.

Here is Swan's letter, which was sent to the leaders of the Bloc, NDP, Liberal, and the Conservative parties and the finance, health, seniors, and heritage ministers:

We are writing to request your party’s support for a significant initiative of the cultural community to make health care more affordable for Canada’s artistic creators.

Most self-employed Canadians who work in the cultural industries do not have access to employee sponsored supplemental health programs. A 2010 study by the Cultural Human Resources Council notes that only 12 per cent of those working in the writing and publishing sector have access to dental benefits. Only 13 per cent of these workers have a drug plan and just seven percent have a retirement plan. The study shows the same low percentages of health coverage for other self-employed workers in the arts because no Canadian insurance program addresses the needs of freelance creators. In order to fill this gap, the Writers’ Coalition Benefits Program (WCBP) was launched in 2009 to give these workers access to services not covered by public health insurance.

To date twenty-eight cultural organizations have endorsed the WCBP on behalf of over 28,000 members, and more cultural organizations are joining us every day.

While our premiums reflect our non-profit basis, they are still unaffordable for thousands of cultural workers whose incomes fluctuate unpredictably, often below the poverty line. For this reason, we are requesting your commitment to providing a subsidy of $1 million over a five-year period that will allow a 10% to 15% reduction to our premium structure.

Your investment will represent a meaningful contribution to our public-private partnership, at minimal cost, and deliver critically improved health care to a significant number of Canadians. Helping ensure good care now for our cultural workers will save the health care system much greater costs in the future.

Please consider this request as an urgent matter.

We invite you to respond before Election Day, May 2, in order that we may advise our partner organizations of your position.

We have attached a list of participating organizations who support the Writers’ Coalition Benefit Program and descriptive material for this program Additionally, complete details for the program are published on the Writers Coalition Benefits Program website which can be accessed through the following links.

Writers Coalition Benefits Program Actra Fraternal Benefit Society

Sincerely, Susan Swan On behalf of the Writers Coalition Benefits Program

 

Participating Organizations: Access Copyright Calgary Spoken Word Festival Canadian Authors Association Canadian Media Guild Canadian Science Writers' Association Canadian Writers Group CANSCAIP IOFA and Harbourfront Reading Series Kingston WritersFest Ottawa International Writers' Festival PEN Canada Playwrights Guild of Canada Professional Writers Association of Canada Quebec Writers' Federation Speculative Fiction Canada Storytellers of Canada The Association of Canadian Publishers The League of Canadian Poets The Literary Press Group of Canada The Outdoor Writers' of Canada The Word Guild/Christian Info Group The Writers' Union of Canada Thin Air- Winnipeg International Writers Festival Toronto Writers' Centre Vancouver International Writers Festival WordFest: Banff-Calgary International Writers Festival Writers' Federation of Nova Scotia Writers' Guild of Alberta