Picture: © Dave Rotchelle

Not the freelances to annoy

THE THOMSON Corporation may be regretting transferring one of its operations to its worldwide payment operation based in Hyderabad on 1 October. The freelances affected have now received an email apologising for delayed payments from the UK-based Freelance Manager. It asks freelances to be patient and use a 0800 helpline to resolve any queries. And who might these freelances be? Editors for legal publisher Sweet & Maxwell, is who. Given their legal background, the company will doubtless be faced with meticulously-prepared claims under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998: see www.londonfreelance.org/ interest.html to calculate them. The move to a global payment operation also has implications for freelances working for Reuters, recently acquired by Thomson.

The Gong is awarded to publishers for late payment - for past entries see www.londonfreelance.org/gong.html