By Peter Lazenby
THE National Union of Journalists (NUJ) has launched a campaign for the rights of freelance media workers.
The union has drawn up a 10-point charter of rights that freelances should enjoy, including holiday pay, equality, contracts of employment, trade union representation, maternity and paternity benefits and protection of their sources of information.
NUJ general secretary Michelle Stanistreet said: “The Covid-19 crisis has demonstrated the need for a massive wake-up call about working practices in the media industry and shown why reformed public policy for freelances and the self-employed is vital.
“The rights and protections for freelances and the self-employed have been shown to be woefully lacking, so the NUJ is determined to fight to change that.
“That’s why we’re launching our new Fair Deal for Freelances campaign, with a 10-point Freelance Charter, to ensure their working conditions and terms of engagement are fit for purpose.”
The NUJ, with more than 30,000 members, is Europe’s biggest union for journalists.
Published at morningstaronline.co.uk
