Statements
In Support of Platforming Palestinian Journalists
In response to the prevalence of Zionist propaganda regarding the State of Israel’s ongoing genocide in the Gaza Strip, as well as deteriorating economic conditions in the West Bank due to the Israeli occupation’s escalating violence there, the Industrial Workers of the World Freelance Journalists Union calls upon journalists and editors reporting on Palestine to platform Palestinian journalists as sources and to prioritize them for commissions.
At the time of this writing, at least 152 journalists in both Gaza and the West Bank have been killed by Israeli forces since October 2023. Despite the danger, our Palestinian fellow workers risk life and limb every day to show the world the brutality inflicted upon them and their people. Their courage deserves not only our respect and solidarity, but material support.
To that end, the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS) is willing and able to connect journalists and editors to its English-speaking members. Especially in the last year, the work of Palestinian journalists has been a crucial driver of support for the liberation of Palestine. By offering to make these connections, PJS is providing journalists and editors with a direct line to the people doing that work, as well as a way to ensure that work continues. To be connected with English-speaking PJS members, please contact Shuruq Asad of the union’s general secretariat at: [email protected].
Time and time again, we have seen English-speaking news media refuse to acknowledge the State of Israel’s role in murdering our colleagues. Such cowardice has no place in the IWW FJU. We must reject all editorial decisions that fail to frame killing journalists as just that: killing journalists.
As always, the IWW FJU stands in solidarity with our fellow workers in Palestine. Solidarity forever!
IWW FJU Condemns Attacks on Journalists Reporting in Iraq
On the 23rd of August 2024, a Turkish targeted drone strike hit a car carrying three journalists in the Seyidsadiq district of Sulaymaniyah. Gulîstan Tara and Hêro Bahadîn, were killed and Rebin Baker was injured. Tara was a reporter and Hêro was a video editor. Both were working for CHATR, a production company based in Kurdistan on assignment for Sterk TV, a Norwegian outlet, at the time they were killed.
Following the attack, various media outlets alleged the reporters were members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) but provided no evidence that they were members at the time of their killing. Meeting with sources who may not be aligned with the interests of the states we call home is an integral part of journalism and in no way warrants the targeting of reporters.
The targeting of women who fearlessly raised their voices to document the truth in a region where misogyny has been widespread is also unacceptable. Targeting journalists represents an attack on the truth, and we join numerous other unions and media organizations in condemning this wanton act of state violence.
This is not the first drone strike on journalists in Kurdistan by the Turkish government. Murad Mirza Ibrahim, an employee with the Kurdish media outlet Cira TV, was also killed in a drone strike a month ago. The Jurdiustan Autonomous Region of Iraq is becoming an increasingly dangerous region for the press, and we stand in solidarity with our fellow workers there demanding safer conditions and an end to targeted strikes.
Attacks on the press are unacceptable, and the pattern of targeted drone strikes on our fellow workers constitutes an attack on all of us and our ability to work safely and report the truth. The IWW FJU stands in solidarity with Hero and Tara’s families in their call for justice, and the people of Kurdistan in their calls for peace and an end to the drone war. An injury to one is an injury to all!
IWW FJU Shares Model Contract for Freelancers to Reference
The Industrial Workers of the World Freelance Journalists Union, with the support of Framework Law, has created a new model contract for freelance journalists to reference in the course of their individual negotiations with commissioning editors. The model contract is a publicly available resource, providing a reference point of contract terms to help protect freelancers when engaging with commissioning editors and to support more favorable working conditions. That said, please be aware that this contract is not legal advice. You can download the contract from our Resources page.
The IWW FJU encourages all freelancers to share, download, modify, and use the model contract as they see fit. Freelancers can compare the model contract to those they are provided with by commissioning editors, thereby helping freelancers judge the quality of the terms presented by the publication. The model contract also provides provisions that freelancers may want to request from commissioning editors — or in cases where commissioning editors provide an inadequate contract or no contract at all, freelancers may also want to request adoption of the entire model contract.
The model contract is one part of the IWW FJU’s emerging contract campaign. If you would like to get involved, please contact the IWW FJU at [email protected].
In Solidarity with Journalists in Los Angeles Reporting on Protests Against Israeli Real Estate Sales
The Industrial Workers of the World Freelance Journalists Union condemns the targeted violence against journalists reporting on protests in Los Angeles on June 23. Several journalists, including Jewish ones, reporting on the protests against Israeli real estate sales were attacked, harassed and had their equipment damaged or stolen by Zionist extremists, while filming those extremists assaulting protesters. Several journalists were targeted online before the protest, some of whom were later assaulted or harassed. In other words: This was a blatant, calculated attempt to harm journalists and undermine press freedom.
The IWW FJU also condemns the vile threats of sexual assault and violence by Zionists against women journalists in particular. The targeting of women should have no place anywhere — not in Los Angeles nor in Gaza. Any failure by elected officials to acknowledge as much contributes to further violence in the future. No journalist should experience unsafe working conditions, especially when elected officials claim to support the freedom of the press.
The IWW FJU condemns statements made by President Joe Biden, California Governor Gavin Newsom, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and other politicians who falsely described yesterday’s violence as “anti-Semitism,” which sets a dangerous precedent justifying violence towards both journalists and protesters. The protests on June 23 were organized against real estate sales in Israel and Israeli-occupied Palestine, not against Judaism. Failure to acknowledge Zionist violence is a cowardly stance that continues to fuel assaults against reporters and others, both in the United States and Palestine.
The ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza has murdered entire family lines and resulted in the largest mass-killing of reporters in history. We have an obligation to our Palestinian colleagues to stand against the ongoing violence to their communities, whether through bombs or real estate transactions.
The IWW FJU stands in solidarity with our fellow journalists who were attacked, harassed and targeted. We call on elected officials to overcome their cowardice and condemn such violence. We also call on other labor unions, media organizations and independent journalists to stand against this calculated assault on the press and press freedoms. News outlets in particular should cease framing such violence as “anti-Semitic” and instead acknowledge Zionist violence against reporters and protesters alike. Journalists affected by these events should contact the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker to report their experiences. Any journalists seeking further resources should contact us directly at [email protected].
As always, we echo the perennial motto of the IWW: An injury to one is an injury to all!
Strike for Palestine on May Day and Nakba Day
On April 11, the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions issued a call to action, asking workers around the world to strike in solidarity with workers in Palestine on May Day (May 1) and Nakba Day (May 15).
The Industrial Workers of the World Freelance Journalists Union commits to striking on both days. These solidarity strikes will consist of members refraining from any sort of commissioned labor that is unrelated to the ongoing genocide in Gaza. Instead, IWW FJU members will participate in local actions in solidarity with Palestinians. Other unpaid journalistic work amplifying these actions, such as social media coverage, is encouraged for all.
We ask Fellow Workers in other sections of the IWW, and workers more generally, to organize strikes, sick-outs and similar labor-withholding actions on May Day and Nakba Day. We also ask other, non-labor-related organizations to call for a “Day of Action” or similar event on both days to encourage their members to get involved, however possible, in local actions in solidarity with Palestinians.
As always, we echo the perennial IWW motto: An injury to one is an injury to all!