May 15, 2004

Convention issues

Free-lance membership

By Michael Ulreich
President, Chicago Newspaper Guild

A number of issues have surfaced within The Newspaper Guild that our members should be aware will be under consideration by convention delegates this summer. These issues include the question of whether free-lance writers, or stringers, should be allowed to join Newspaper Guild locals as members with limited rights and whether they should be allowed to form their own unit within a local.

The Chicago Newspaper Guild currently admits free-lance writers under its General Press unit. I am currently a General Press member as is Al Stein, who currently works for the Goldring Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life, and we have General Press members who are employed for publications like The Daily Worker. But this unit maybe not technically be legal under the Guild constitution.

Another issue, as controversial or perhaps even more controversial than admitting stringers into the union, is whether The Guild should involve itself in politics by either endorsing candidates for national office or by collecting funds for members which could be used for political purposes.

These are issues Guild delegates will face during its annual convention this August in Anaheim.