National Writers Union Preparing To Take Ebony To Court
Photo by Richard A. Chapman for the Sun-Times
Photo by Richard A. Chapman for the Sun-Times
The National Writers Union is preparing to take Ebony magazine to court.
Ebony was supposed to have paid as much as $200,000 that's owed to 50 freelance writers by the end of June but the magazine still hasn't done so, resulting in the National Writers Union (NWU) stepping in.
"This is completely unacceptable," NWU President Larry Goldbetter said about the missed deadline in a press release. "We took them at their word, in good faith, despite some freelancers going more than a year without payment. Now we move on to the next step."
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"Creatives don't work for free, and there are very real consequences when we don't get paid," Goldbetter continued. "While Ebony Media executives from CVG were throwing lavish Super Bowl parties and Hollywood events, unpaid freelancers were struggling to pay the rent," he continued.
Ebony has issued checks to 11 writers for a total of $18,000, but only three of those were paid in full. The union will be representing 30 writers who are owed about $60,000.
Ebony failing to pay its freelance writers in a timely manner has been an ongoing discussion, with the #EbonyOwes being used throughout social media by writers sharing their stories of ignored calls and excuses from the magazine.
