Over the past 25 years real incomes for Canadian freelances have fallen
dramatically. And while rates have dropped, rights demands from
publishers have gone way up. Today it’s not uncommon to receive a
contract demanding “all rights, in perpetuity, throughout the
universe.”
This is why independent writers and creators are now banding together
to form the Canadian Freelance Union. Simply put, the CFU plans to turn
the tide on crappy rates, ridiculous rights demands and unfair work
terms.
The CFU is a new initiative of the Communications, Energy and
Paperworkers Union of Canada (CEP), the country's largest media union
with media 25,000 members across the country. In total, the CEP
represents over 150,000 workers.
Using the existing strength of the CEP, the CFU plans to bring
freelance issues to the collective bargaining table. We want to
negotiate improvements in rates and rights for freelancers across the
country.
Plummeting incomes
In 1979 the average annual income for a freelance writer in Canada was
around $25,000. In 1996 the Professional Writers Association of Canada
(PWAC) conducted a survey on rates. They found the average annual
income was about $26,000. In 2005 a soon-to-be-released PWAC survey
shows a full 61% of freelancers now make under $25,000, with nearly 40%
making less than $10,000.
According to the Bank of Canada, the average inflation rate from 1979
to 2005 has been 3.72%. What cost $1 in 1979 now costs $2.59. When
compared with the reality of static or dropping annual incomes, this
means real earnings for freelancers in this country have fell a
staggering 160% over the past 26 years.
“All Rights” contracts
While rates go down, copyright demands keep going up. Today most
newspapers and magazine not only demand one-time print rights, they
also want the right to use your work on the Web, in commercial
databases, in other publications of the same chain, in subsequent
printings, in all media and formats known or to be discovered, from now
until the end of time and throughout the known universe!
For all these additional uses most publishers pay nothing, or at best a mere pittance.
Ownership concentration
The problem is made worse by the increasing ownership concentration in
the Canadian media. Today a few huge corporations own the vast majority
of the nation's newspapers, magazines, TV & radio stations,
database services and now Internet portals.
As these corporations get bigger their ability to squeeze small
suppliers increases. Freelancers have felt the economic squeeze first
and hardest. The CFU is an attempt to turn this tide.
The CFU will bring real clout to the bargaining table, but it can only
do it with your help. A union’s strength comes from its members. Join
up and help reshape the economic landscape for freelancers in this
country.
Go to www.cepmedia.ca and click on “Freelance Campaign” to learn more.
Charter membership costs $25. This gives you the right to attend the
founding convention of the CFU, and to help create this new union.
Michael OReilly (freelance@cep.ca)
is a long-time freelance journalist. He is a former President of PWAC,
is on the national Board of Access Copyright, and is the Founding
President of the CFU.
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