Canadian freelancers will soon be able to hold a union card.
The Canadian Freelance Union will launch
its inaugural meeting in October, under the wing of
CEP.  The new union aims to restore
what was once a decent living for journalists and other media professionals.

Organizers have a daunting job ahead. “Over the past three
decades, self-employed communications professionals have seen their real income
plummet a whopping 66 per cent,” the CFU reports on its website. The first
order of business may be Transcontinental’s new
freelance contract, which has been criticized as another
rights grab.

Also in freelance news, the Professional (formerly Periodical) Writers’ Association of Canada calls on writers to participate in the federal government’s national
copyright consultation, July 20 to September 13. You can submit and discuss the
issues online at the consultation
web site.