Picture of Owen Atkinson

Didn’t trade unions used to be all striking miners and sacked printers? Aren’t they now something to do with council and NHS workers’ pensions? Why would a writer want to join one?

The answer quite simply is that it is because of the work of our writers’ trade unions over the past 50 years that writers in the UK have the best deals in Europe on pay, rights and attribution. Thanks to union collective agreements, guidelines and policy, writers can keep control over their rights, receive royalties or residual payments, and be sure they are prominently credited for their work. This safety net is the envy of writers’ organisations in most other European countries, including France, Spain and Italy.

The main unions working for UK writers are the Writers’ Guild, the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) and the Society of Authors (SoA). Regular Writers’ Guild negotiations set minimum fees for writers commissioned by broadcasters, TV and film producers, and subsidised theatres; the NUJ Freelance Fees Guide is the benchmark for reporters, photographers and sub-editors; and the strong influence of the Society of Authors has set industry standards for authors’ publishing contracts.

Dangerous times
Writers live in dangerous times, when publishing is in turmoil; traditional broadcasting is suffering cuts and facing competition from the internet; Arts Council subsidies to theatres and specialist publishers are being cancelled or reduced; Public Lending Right has an uncertain future; and UK and European legislators are contemplating far-reaching changes to copyright law.

In all such areas of public policy, writers’ unions are continually lobbying and briefing politicians and civil servants and keeping up with legislative changes on writers’ behalf, often in collaboration with like-minded organisations representing performers, musicians and other cultural and entertainment workers. They are among the strongest voices opposing censorship, fighting for high standards in broadcasting, and supporting writing for children.

All the unions organise meetings; social, cultural and educational events; and training and other activities, either free or at a discounted price.

So think of union membership as a combination of a club, a professional network, an insurance policy and an AA-type membership you can call on if your job breaks down. If you don’t get paid, or you get fired from a project; someone plagiarises your work or you can’t understand a contract you have been offered, the ‘all-for-one’ principle kicks in. The unions employ expert teams who know the ropes and can sort out many problems, and they all have access to legal advice that would be too expensive for most individuals to obtain.

Even if you are not currently a member of a union, you still owe your terms and conditions to trade union persistence and expertise. It is only fair therefore that you should give something back by paying your annual subscription. And each and every new member adds to the collective strength of the unions.

So why not visit the unions’ websites; find out more and join up? It’s in everyone’s interests. Most of all your own.

 

  • The Writers’ Guild of Great Britain (WGGB) – Tel: 020 7833 0777, www.writersguild.org.uk
  • The Society of Authors (SoA) – Tel: 020 7373 6642, www.societyofauthors.org
    If you are an ALCS Member, you can currently get 15 months membership at the SoA for the price of 12.
  • National Union of Journalists (NUJ) – Main office: 0207278 7916, www.nuj.org.uk
  • The Chartered Institute of Journalists (CIOJ) – Tel: 020 7252 1187, http://cioj.co.uk
  • The British Association of Journalists(BAJ) – Tel: 020 7353 3003, www.bajunion.org.uk


Bernie Corbett  is General Secretary of the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain (WGGB).

© Bernie Corbett