payment


Sitting on stories I


magine the scenario: your boiler has broken, you call a plumber to fix it, then say: “Thanks – I’ll pay you


when I have a bath.” It wouldn’t happen, but for freelances chasing payment on publication, it is resoundingly familiar. When freelances get a commission, they often have to wait until the story is published before getting paid, which can sometimes take months or even years. “I never understand how this is


legal,” says one journalist. “There is no other industry I can think of where this would be allowed.” It is routine on nationals and


magazines. For every one that pays instantly, another will pay only on publication. It can even vary between sections.


“Six months is common in the


lifestyle sections of nationals,” says one contributor. Reasons for delays can stem from


pagination, with news-led pieces taking precedence. As freelances are told stories are “on the list”, a kill fee does not apply and, with commissioning editors’ hands often tied, chasing can be fruitless.


One freelance waited two years for


payment from a glossy. Another waited two years for a high-profile weekly. They were both paid in full once the articles appeared. Another freelance, owed £700 by a Sunday supplement, cut her losses and gave up chasing altogether. Some have struggled to pay childcare bills; others have had to borrow from family and survive on credit. “It has got worse in recent years. On a


few occasions, I’ve not been able to buy food,” says one freelance. “It’s a serious problem because we


have bills to pay. If we have no idea when the money will come in, how can we budget? You feel you’re being exploited – you, a small sole trader and them, a big international media


8 | theJournalist


company that is turning over millions.” It doesn’t happen just in the UK. One freelance writing for a newspaper in the Middle East is owed £2,000 for articles “on hold”.


“There needs to be more awareness among editors about how this affects journalists. If each editor behaves this way, you can be owed thousands,” says another. So why not take the story elsewhere? Freelances say they cannot afford to


turn work down, especially bylined stories for nationals. Younger journalists are particularly vulnerable. “The argument ‘if you don’t like it, don’t take the commission’ assumes there is a mountain of work to choose from,” says one.


Aside from being unable to sell second and third rights, there is often further work involved. Additional checks are routine and, a year down the line, stories can change or interviewees no longer want to be involved. Mike Cherry, national chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses, says the late payments culture is “a real concern” and the recent appointment of a small business commissioner is a “golden opportunity” for the government to end “supply chain bullying”. NUJ freelance organiser


John Toner describes the practice as “outrageous”. “There is no reason why publishers cannot pay within 30 days of receipt of invoice,” he says. The NUJ helps freelances


apply late payment charges but, if payment upon publication has been agreed, these cannot be applied. In addition, freelances fear being blacklisted. So what can be done? “We have approached publishers


over the years and asked that they reconsider this policy, but they either ignore us or refuse. We need the government to introduce legislation. We are lobbying through the TUC at


“ ”


You risk ruining your relationship with your editor, even though all you want is to be paid


Ruth Addicott looks at challenging the culture of payment on publication


national level, and through the EFJ at European level,” says Toner. He urges members to contact their MPs and get a commitment from them to support or introduce new legislation.


Responding to freelances who claim


it’s “up to the union” to do more, he says: “This is a false dichotomy – ‘the union’ and the members are not separate things. The NUJ is lobbying hard for change, but members do have to be involved.”


In the absence of a law, one option is for freelances to try to persuade a publisher to negotiate. “It is difficult to do this without being identified, but if enough freelances working for a particular publisher were prepared to act collectively, then the publisher would have to listen,” he says. The issue is that freelances are


reluctant to speak out. “You risk ruining your relationship


with your editor, even though all you want is to be paid,” says one. If freelances did speak up and the


NUJ did draft an agreement, the question is: would publishers sign it?


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