By: Paul Golden (goldencomms.ie) is a freelance business journalist with considerable experience in the areas of finance and technology.

National Union of Journalists – Power in a union

Freelancing is often referred to as a solitary profession, particularly by those who come into it from a 9-to-5 background and are used to the camaraderie (and – let’s face it – politics) of the office.

So why don’t more of us take a lead from the franchise mantra ‘in business for yourself, not by yourself’ and join a union? A straw poll of fellow freelance journalists recently revealed hardly any were paid up members of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) and many had never even joined in the first place.

Admittedly, the NUJ has not done itself any favours in the past by failing to pick its battles and ending up in serious debt and with a battered reputation. In a profession as diverse as freelance journalism you will never achieve consensus, but there was a definite feeling during the 1980s and 1990s that union leaders had lost sight of the bigger picture, particularly as technology began to impact on work practices. But in a profession where employers often feel they can renegotiate fees after work has been submitted or leave invoices unpaid for months on end because freelancers won’t kick up a stink for fear of jeopardising future assignments, it can be helpful to have someone else in your corner.

The ridiculous view of our Competition Authority that publishing rates for freelance work is anti-competitive – despite the fact that it seems to work perfectly well in the UK – is a prime example of an issue on which unions are fighting for freelance rights. SIPTU and the NUJ have been making the point that legislation designed to prevent price fixing and the formation of monopolies is being misinterpreted to the detriment of actors, musicians, film technicians and journalists.

Perhaps the most obvious reason for joining a union is that they will help if you have problems getting paid.

While the likes of the NUJ does not have the resources to take legal action on behalf of individual members (for which we can thank a legal system that makes it impractical to pursue non-payment claims through the courts even for sums of thousands of euro), it will at the very least contact the client on your behalf.

This might sound tame but you would be surprised how often a letter from the NUJ moves the payment process forward, even if only to encourage the client to enter or resume dialogue. In my case, two lengthy disputes were resolved following intervention from the union with the amounts paid more than covering the
cost of my membership fees over the last 23 years.

Speaking of fees, in these austere times every penny has to be watched carefully and there will be those who consider paying a monthly sub too much of a financial burden. That’s fair enough, particularly since tax relief for trade union subscriptions was abolished with effect from 1 January 2011. Perhaps the best approach is to
think of union subs like insurance premiums – because when you need the cover you will sure as hell be glad you kept them up.

About the Author

Paul Golden is a freelance business journalist with considerable experience in the areas of finance and technology.

Website: www.goldencomms.ie