German freelancers say “Ja” to minimum pay rates
Freelance journalists may be the lone wolves of the media world, but many are starting to form packs, too. Look at Germany: freelancers there are biting back against “all rights” contracts and establishing fair pay models, after a pair of German journalists’ unions concluded an agreement with nine of the country’s biggest newspaper publishers over common rules of payment for freelancers.
The deal reached in December 2009 between the Federation of German Newspaper Publishers and the German Journalists’ Association (DJV) and the United Services Union (DJU) outlines a series of minimum rates, including first publication rights, sale to third parties and making content available electronically. Minimum fees are based on the circulation figures of newspapers and the types of contribution. Freelance photographers are currently negotiating a similar fee agreement.
Want to know what freelancers are being paid in other countries? Check out page 11 of this report by the International Federation of Journalists.
