Swedish freelances demand their rightful slice

ULRIKA HYLLERT, president of the Swedish Union of Journalists, and Grethe Rottböll, president of the Swedish Writers' Association, joined around 20 participants in a demonstration 8 December for higher freelance rates at national daily newspaper Svenska Dagbladet (SvD).

Four of the demonstrators

SvD demonstrators brandishing signs and handouts headed "20 years with the same fee"

Image © Victoria da Silva

Some 50 freelance writers have long been in negotiations since last spring with management over their fees. After talks broke down they resorted to rallying outside SvD's offices in Stockholm.

Cake

The cake

Image ©

SvD's freelances emphasised in the negotiations that they have not received a significant increase in over 20 years, so they earn less than freelances did in the early 2000s. Employees at SvD have had wage increases of over 25 per cent in this period. To drive home their point, demonstrators brought along an ironic birthday cake iced with the celebratory message "20 years with the same fee".

Freelances invited SvD management to meet them to answer questions over its failure to settle new freelance rates. Editor-in-chief Lisa Irenius stopped by the demonstration and expressed she was willing to continue negotiations.

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* Demonstration for higher freelance fees at daily newspaper europeanjournalists.org