Pacific Media Workers Guild, The Newspaper Guild, Communications Workers of America, Local 39521, AFL-CIO, CLC

Guild Freelancers unit

General meeting, 11/8/2017

Unit General Meeting Notes

1. Update on recent/past organizing and advocacy:

*Update from Know Your Rights workshop, organized by four photographers

50 people attended

Signed up new/possible members for freelance unit

*Chapter supported two freelancers whose press passes were not respected; Carl Hall wrote letter to Berkeley police department.

*Union was present at the March Against Hate, with banner

*Future work: planning a contract negotiation workshop, negotiating IP/republication rights and rates. Tentatively scheduled for Jan. 2018

2. Update from CWA liaison

Organizing at Los Angeles Times.

Offer of help/assistance from freelancer unit. Trip to LA for picketing/visibility?

3. Organizing committee update

Next organizing committee meeting: 11/14, 4 p.m.

Key question: How can freelancers for newspapers/publications with active units/units in active bargaining be included?

Action item: Create/maintain list of freelance contributors to said newspapers/publications.

Possible action item: Create internally held list of editors for freelancers to pitch, as another benefit of membership.

Question: Do we hold a “how to pitch” event?

4. Press pass update.

Key point: Barrier for acquiring one is low. Any photographer or writer with some published work can acquire one.

Action item: Appoint a “press pass czar” responsible for receiving paperwork from freelancers and passing it on to the union (i.e. Wendy).

5. Bill’s Bay News Rising update

Seven-week paid internship program for third-year college students studying journalism. Six participants this past summer, from SF State, CCSF, and Laney College. Students this year made a bargaining unit—and were paid to go to class.

This is a dues-funded program. Costs were cut in part by having Carl assist with the program.

Action items going forward: Hold outreach events to advertise program/organize new membership for freelance unit

Question: Organizing opportunity at area journalism schools, i.e. UC Berkeley’s masters program?

6. Minimum rate campaign.

Discussion of working on a campaign for a minimum rate in 2018.

Broad support for such a campaign, as a recruitment and visibility tool and on the principle.

Open questions: What the rate will be, how to calculate it, from whom will it be demanded.

Mentioned: a “Fair to Freelancers” seal in publications/on their websites, for organizations who adhere to our minimum rates
Mentioned: Union’s purchase of a “[Insert Publication Name here] is fair to workers” ad space in publications who adhere to minimum rates

Much more discussion/action/organizing to come.

7. Leadership nominations:

*Nomination of two co-chairs to lead unit

Unanimous nominees: Brooke Anderson and David Bacon

*Nomination of member to Representative Assembly

Nominee: Bill Snyder

Adjournment