This week’s episode of WORK APPROPRIATE is for anyone who is exhausted with their workplace treating their identity — their simple act of being who they are — as a problem, featuring practical, actionable (legal and emotional!) advice from Morgan Givens
Thank you for raising awareness! As a reader and reviewer, it's been disheartening to watch HarperCollins continue to refuse to meet the Union's incredibly reasonable requests. I hope the Union will stay strong. I'll continue to hold my reviews of HC books in the meantime.
This made me tear up. I work at the publishing industry in Brazil (I actually translated Can't Even to Portuguese! o/ ) and I'd like to say that what the HC Union is doing will impact not only the HC workers, not only the Big 5 workers, not only US workers, but everyone across the world that works bringing books to readers. We are all watching. Thank you for doing this!
Thank you for this. We who love books need to understand the state of publishing today and support these workers. When authors and all who work in book production are not remunerated fairly, how can we expect the product of their labour to be as good as it could be? We are all losing. And the winner? Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp here.
Long-time Canadian freelancer for a division of HC here. Everyone I've worked with over the past 10+ years has been absolutely lovely and dedicated to their jobs and to books. Yes, there has been a fair amount of turnover, with editorial coordinators generally moving on within a couple of years. I've been incredibly grateful to have steady projects, especially during periods of job instability. As much as I enjoy the work, it's still mostly a side hustle, even a passion project that I am lucky to be able to afford to take on. Thanks for this newsletter edition and letting us know how we can support the strike. I will be donating to the strike fund.
I'm a reader and reviewer as well, and have a document going with all my Harper Collins reviews in it. I'm not posting them until the strike is over, and I will sit on them for years if that's what it takes. I'm a union member and stand with the union-- my union dues are a small price to pay to have the fellowship and support that my union (and all unions should) provides.
Thanks so much to Rachel for getting out and talking about this. Following the strike has been illuminating to me as a first-time author (not at HC) who’s been enchanted by publishing since childhood. So grateful for the sacrifice you’re all making to raise the tide of the industry for all of us! I’ll continue to spread the word about the strike fund and donate — sending my heart to NYC to join you! 💪💪
I am a voracious reader and I’m embarrassed to admit I didn’t know this strike was going on. So thank you for writing about it!! I’m definitely following and supporting it now.
The tendrils of this long-time problem extend in multiple directions. I didn't even submit my book to HC et al: The trickle-down effects of the game as it's set up and played by the few who benefit from the existing system damage even the "name" authors I know.
"To me, people who begrudge unions for fighting the hard fight are indecipherable from those who care more about billionaires than about their fellow working class neighbors." Fuck yes. Big stick forever! ✊🏽
Thank you both for this interview. I support the HC union’s strike/strikers and am donating to the strike fund. I hope others who read this are moved to do the same--or to “donate” a tweet or Instagram or TikTok or mastodon of words of support. 🙂
What does it mean to not cross the picket line here? (Obviously understand physically but they also mentioned virtually. Also unsure if purchasing HC books would count?)
From what I understand, they're not asking anyone to boycott their authors or to stop buying HC books. They have specific advice for freelancers, reviewers, and management about what it looks like to not cross the picket line here: https://twitter.com/hcpunion/status/1593669750369951746
I’m a Harper author and this has been haunting me. My editor resigned in 2016 at poverty wages and I’ve been passed from newbie to disenchanted (read: exhausted and poor) oldie editor with no/little understanding of my work ever since then. It has fully stopped me from publishing again. I support you!!!!!
I will donate. The piece mentioned “And definitely do not underestimate the impact a simple DM, coffee, email, or $10 venmo” - what email should I send letters of support to? And any other way to send them coffee or food from afar? (There’s no Venmo in Canada, I believe). And where can I get a pin?
Thank you for raising awareness! As a reader and reviewer, it's been disheartening to watch HarperCollins continue to refuse to meet the Union's incredibly reasonable requests. I hope the Union will stay strong. I'll continue to hold my reviews of HC books in the meantime.
This made me tear up. I work at the publishing industry in Brazil (I actually translated Can't Even to Portuguese! o/ ) and I'd like to say that what the HC Union is doing will impact not only the HC workers, not only the Big 5 workers, not only US workers, but everyone across the world that works bringing books to readers. We are all watching. Thank you for doing this!
Thank you for this. We who love books need to understand the state of publishing today and support these workers. When authors and all who work in book production are not remunerated fairly, how can we expect the product of their labour to be as good as it could be? We are all losing. And the winner? Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp here.
Long-time Canadian freelancer for a division of HC here. Everyone I've worked with over the past 10+ years has been absolutely lovely and dedicated to their jobs and to books. Yes, there has been a fair amount of turnover, with editorial coordinators generally moving on within a couple of years. I've been incredibly grateful to have steady projects, especially during periods of job instability. As much as I enjoy the work, it's still mostly a side hustle, even a passion project that I am lucky to be able to afford to take on. Thanks for this newsletter edition and letting us know how we can support the strike. I will be donating to the strike fund.
As a reader and a member of a double-union household, I stand with the HP union in solidarity ❤️ my check is in the mail!
I'm a reader and reviewer as well, and have a document going with all my Harper Collins reviews in it. I'm not posting them until the strike is over, and I will sit on them for years if that's what it takes. I'm a union member and stand with the union-- my union dues are a small price to pay to have the fellowship and support that my union (and all unions should) provides.
Thanks so much to Rachel for getting out and talking about this. Following the strike has been illuminating to me as a first-time author (not at HC) who’s been enchanted by publishing since childhood. So grateful for the sacrifice you’re all making to raise the tide of the industry for all of us! I’ll continue to spread the word about the strike fund and donate — sending my heart to NYC to join you! 💪💪
I am a voracious reader and I’m embarrassed to admit I didn’t know this strike was going on. So thank you for writing about it!! I’m definitely following and supporting it now.
The tendrils of this long-time problem extend in multiple directions. I didn't even submit my book to HC et al: The trickle-down effects of the game as it's set up and played by the few who benefit from the existing system damage even the "name" authors I know.
"To me, people who begrudge unions for fighting the hard fight are indecipherable from those who care more about billionaires than about their fellow working class neighbors." Fuck yes. Big stick forever! ✊🏽
Thank you both for this interview. I support the HC union’s strike/strikers and am donating to the strike fund. I hope others who read this are moved to do the same--or to “donate” a tweet or Instagram or TikTok or mastodon of words of support. 🙂
Adding: for those people like myself who despair at not being able to copy and paste an address, send donations to HC Union
Strike Fund here:
ATTN Lynne Weir
Region 9A UAW
111 Founders Plaza, 17 Floor
East Hartford, CT 06108
Love this!
What does it mean to not cross the picket line here? (Obviously understand physically but they also mentioned virtually. Also unsure if purchasing HC books would count?)
From what I understand, they're not asking anyone to boycott their authors or to stop buying HC books. They have specific advice for freelancers, reviewers, and management about what it looks like to not cross the picket line here: https://twitter.com/hcpunion/status/1593669750369951746
I had the same question! thanks for the clarification :)
Thank you!
I know there aren't a ton of comments here, but I just want to say that I value pieces like this one!
I’m a Harper author and this has been haunting me. My editor resigned in 2016 at poverty wages and I’ve been passed from newbie to disenchanted (read: exhausted and poor) oldie editor with no/little understanding of my work ever since then. It has fully stopped me from publishing again. I support you!!!!!
I will donate. The piece mentioned “And definitely do not underestimate the impact a simple DM, coffee, email, or $10 venmo” - what email should I send letters of support to? And any other way to send them coffee or food from afar? (There’s no Venmo in Canada, I believe). And where can I get a pin?