National Writers Union

NWU opposes the fascist coup that has taken over the US govt. We commit our union to work for the restoration of constitutional rule in the US, & to solidarity with all workers & others impacted by the coup, including workers in other countries facing US trade wars & tariffs. Join us: nwu.org/join

They're right - it's scary! 😱 Are you like so many others who have told us they're making LESS than $1/word? Come organize with us for better. nwu.org/join

In contrast, the National Writers Union put out a statement yesterday condemning the ongoing, large-scale book destruction by Anthropic and Amazon: nwu.org/project-pana... @nwu.org

NWU condemns ongoing efforts by AI companies to scan and destroy the world’s print books, and we continue to call for common-sense policies that protect writers and creative workers from exploitation. nwu.org/project-panama

💥 A Radical Proposal: Literary Translations as Workers Brought to you by the Literary Translators Division of @nwu.org ✊ With @jeremytiang.bsky.social @kirajosefsson.bsky.social @soleildahveed.bsky.social @francesriddle.bsky.social www.youtube.com/live/V7HS8nl...

Twenty-six years ago, the @nwu.org advocated for a $1/word pay rate. But if that $1/word rate from 2000 matched today’s inflation, the average writer should be making about $2/word. According to @fspnwu.bsky.social data, they aren’t. objectivejournalism.org/2026/09/free...

“Since 2020, the average reported pay rate has hovered around $1/word, and stagnant wages mean that freelance writers are functionally making less money now than they were 26 years ago.” So what do we do? We organize.

Running The Flytrap is expensive. There are a lot of technical things we need, like a distribution platform, and grownups, like our tax guy, and it's important to us to pay industry-standard rates to freelancers. So much so that we committed to doing that with the @nwu.org

🔔 The National Writers Union @nwu.org has a new website and here is the new page for the Literary Translators Division, describing our current organizing! nwu.org/divisions/li... With the formation of the LTD, literary translators are part of a labor union for the first time in US history ✊

We're just $200 shy of our goal of raising $4,000 for our Palestinian colleagues. Will you help us get there? Donate here ➡️ givebutter.com/palestinian-...

This year marks 45 years of NWU fighting for the rights of creative workers. Are you a creative worker who is tired of exploitation, stolen wages, and work insecurity? Let’s fight back together! Join NWU today: nwu.org/join

@nwu.org has advice about this in our Anthropic settlement explainer by @edwardhasbrouck.bsky.social: nwu.org/anthropic/

Israel has killed more than 240 Palestinian journalists since the genocide began, according to the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate. Join us tonight at Starr Bar in Brooklyn to support our colleagues who are still under attack. If you can't make it, you can still donate: bit.ly/Raffle4PJS

This is what I’ve been up to at work — $200m for local news jobs over five years if Gov. Newsom signs AB 2222, fully paid for by taking away corporate tax breaks for overpaid CEOs. www.rebuildlocalnews.org/california-l...

Last week we lost Barbara Mende, one of NWU’s most steadfast advocates & long-time members. A fierce champion of writers as workers, she spent decades helping members avoid deleterious contracts, & made sure we got paid what we deserved. We'll miss her terribly. nwu.org/barbara-mend...

If you are a writer/creative worker reading this, I hope you will consider joining the National Writers Union (@nwu.org)/The Freelance Solidarity Project (@fspnwu.bsky.social), where we are organizing for better working conditions for writers, freelancers, and creative industry workers. It is vital.

It's not a good day for the NYT. In addition to @transnews.network's call for a public boycott for their role in enabling trans genocide, we're calling them out for ripping off one of our member's stories and failing to credit her, a situation all too common for freelancers. @kaytiburt.bsky.social

We stand by and reiterate our call to boycott the New York Times. Their role in enabling trans genocide is immense, and we cannot stand by idly. Additionally, we stand with those before us who have called to boycott the Times over their complicity in the genocide in Gaza. Boycott and Divest NYT!

#USA: Great to see this solidarity between journalists unions! Well done @nwu.org , we wish you a great success in your event! Thanks for supporting the IFJ Safety Fund too!

Dolly Parton knew what it was like to struggle as she fought for working families her whole career. From providing free books to kids to giving working women our "9 to 5" anthem, she was an icon and an inspiration. Rest in power to our union sister. We will always love you.

Hey, NY 🗽 Join NWU's Digital Media Division @fspnwu.bsky.social for a reading & fundraiser supporting our sibling union, the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate. All proceeds will go to the @ifjglobal.bsky.social Safety Fund for journalists in Palestine. Thurs, Sept 3 @ Starr Barr in Brooklyn

I'm still finding out about these folks but @freepress.bsky.social (no, not Bari Weiss's outlet!), @rebuildlocalnews.bsky.social, and several unions including @newsguild.org @wgaeast.bsky.social and @nwu.org are all organizations pushing for structural changes to our information environment.

#USA: Unions sue over visa restrictions, including those affecting journalists. We fully back this action and join @newsguild.org and @nwu.org in condemning these restrictions that threaten independent reporting and coverage of US affairs. Read more ⤵️

"Journalists don’t surrender their rights because they lack immigration status." The targeting of marginalized journalists - including independent journalists without institutional backing - normalizes and facilitates attacks on the free press at large.

"It’s time for the Copyright Office to...stop putting the interests of publishers ahead of creators, & work with us to develop a simple, affordable process that would...allow us to register copyright in our websites and have a chance to take illegal Web scrapers to court." nwu.org/copyright-we...

Are you a writer? Come visit the NWU Oregon Chapter at the Writers Fair this Friday, July 31, from 5-7 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza in Portland. The Writers Fair is free and open to the public, so bring a friend. #NWU #NationalWritersUnion #OregonWriters #WillametteWriters #WritersFair @nwu.org

TONIGHT at 7pm PT, NWU's @edwardhasbrouck.bsky.social is joining Steve Martini of @wgawest.bsky.social for a talk on writers, artists, media monopolies, and the role of AI - and what we can do about it: laborfest.net/2026/event/w...

Heads up: The @ifjglobal.bsky.social offers travel insurance for journalists traveling for work, with a 10% discount for IFJ press card holders. Check it out ➡ ifj.battleface.com

ICYMI: Did you know Defector's freelancer policies were created in partnership with NWU? defector.com/freelancer-p...

“While New York is the first state to recognize that AI cannot do the work of journalists and other news professionals, it will not be the last.” 💪🏼

If you are a journalist — or know one — reporting on Delaney Hall protests in Newark, New Jersey, who has been attacked, threatened, targeted with chemical irritants or had equipment damaged, let us know. Email: tips@pressfreedomtracker.us

Freelancing is hard enough already, and inflation sucks. Defector is raising our base freelance rates by 20 percent. Great time to pitch us. Email me or pitches@defector.com

👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

📣 Support journalists in the Pacific Northwest fighting for better wages and AI protections by telling McClatchy management that you will stand with the workers and not cross the picket line today: actionnetwork.org/letters/tell...

We love seeing our members’ work out in the wild (and supporting independent bookstores)! @kirajosefsson.bsky.social P.S. If you’re a literary translator like Kira, did you know our new Literary Translators Division is organizing for better working conditions? 👀 nwu.org/toc

We stand with the workers - the board should too.

Spent the week in Paris representing my incredible union @nwu.org at the @ifjglobal.bsky.social world congress. It was an honor to attend their Centenary Congress, marking 100 years of international solidarity in journalism.

It was me! If you take a look at the last few posts I made, you'll see why. @mariannedhe.bsky.social reports on the organizing behind the news, the organizing that *makes* the news, to uplift how people have power to change the world, not just react to it. Also they are a comrade in @nwu.org! ❤️‍🔥✊

Proud to have members @edwardhasbrouck.bsky.social and @khawlanakua.bsky.social representing NWU at this year's @ifjglobal.bsky.social Centenary Congress, marking 100 years of international solidarity in journalism.

#IFJ100 What is the role of journalism in the age of #AI? This question is at the heart of our second panel, where journalists and researchers will explore workers’ rights, truth under scrutiny and the future of the profession.

Today on World Press Freedom Day, delegates to the @ifjglobal.bsky.social Centennial Congress joined members of French journalists unions in front of City Hall in Paris for a reading of names and moment of silence for journalists killed around the world in the last year.

The United States can’t lead the world in defending press freedom on World Press Freedom Day when it’s actively dismantling it at home.

Big media is contributing to the rise of authoritarianism and threatening workers across the media industry. Join us on April 27 to build alliances so we can create a civic media ecosystem outside of major media monopolies. Register: bit.ly/FightBigMedia

Media consolidation is reshaping the industry, affecting workers, consumers and communities. 📣 Join the @nwu.org on Monday (4/27) at 7 p.m. ET for a virtual panel on how we got here, what’s at stake and how we can build a more independent media ecosystem. Register: us02web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

NWU just voted to become a formal partner of May Day Strong. This May Day, we're hitting the streets to honor the power of the working class. Join NWU members at rallies across the country on May 1st. Together, we are unstoppable. #MayDay

✍️ Sign the petition: Kuwaiti-American journalist Ahmed Shihab-Eldin is detained in Kuwait under new security and fake news laws. Demand Kuwaiti authorities immediately and unconditionally release him. ⤵️ cpj.movements.mov/pet/kuwait-r... #freeahmed #FreeAhmedEldin

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We're in solidarity with @propublicaguild.org workers in their fight!

#Iraq: [UPDATE 08.04.2026 ] Great news ✊🏿 Journalist Shelly Kittleson, who was abducted in Baghdad on 31 March, has been released. We welcome her release and reiterate that journalists must not be targeted for their reporting. @nwu.org @newsguild.org www.ifj.org//media-centr...

Big media is contributing to the rise of authoritarianism and threatening workers across the industry. Join the National Writers Union Monday, April 27 at 7pm ET for a panel discussion on the dangers of media consolidation, how we got here, & what we can do about it. Register: bit.ly/FightBigMedia