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You’re not a union; you’re just a silly group of people... BY MAIRIN PRENTISS THE CHRONICLE HERALD HAS EFFECTIVELY SACKED MANY OF OF ITS REGULAR FREELANCERSS — INCLUDING FIVE STAR COL- UMNISTS — SEEMINGLY WITHOUT A HINT OF REGRET. The affair arose after director of news discontent Dan Leger refused to negotiate any further with them about a new rights-grabbing contract they were asked to sign or bid adieu. Among the 21 writers who declined to sign the contract as it stood are Silver Donald Cameron, Ralph Surette, Harry Bruce, Mary Jo Anderson and Judith Meyrick. The remaining jettisoned writers are occasional contributors and other freelancers concerned about the contract, dubbed “the worst in Canada” by the Canadian Freelancers Union. Led by Sunday columnist Silver Don, with the help of CFU prez Mike O’Reilly, the writers asked bossman Dan to work out a contract that everyone could agree upon. There was a bit of give and take, but Dan drew a line in the sand over the most contentious point: the paper’s insistence on owning all the rights to the writers’ work forever, and doing with it what it would. “We pay, we own,” Dan insisted in a phone interview. “We’re not a government agency. We’re not a philanthropic organization. We’re a business.” Some folks signed the contract before they discovered there was a bargaining movement afoot or what in tarnation the legalese meant. Others knowingly signed to keep the cheques rolling in. Their work can now be used anywhere, anytime, with no further payment. (Is there a high demand somewhere for Laurent LePierre’s fashion columns? — ed.) Donald says he sent two more letters to Dan saying the remaining rebel writers were willing to bend on the contract — they’d allow for longer licensing rights for the paper, just not until the end of time. 24 FRANK MAGAZINE MAY 24, 2011 MEDIA MADNESS CEO Sarah learns about innovative leadership While Editor Supremo Dan Leger was dismissing his long-time columnists’ cry for contract negotiations as a tad jejune, the fishwrapper’s prez and CEO Sarah Dennis (daughter of millionaire Graham Dennis) spent the week learning a thing or two about being a manager at Quantum Shift, “a unique leadership development program” in beautiful London at the illustrious Richard Ivey School of Business. (London, Ontario that is. — ed.) “It’s for entrepreneurs who are past the start-up stage and who are ready to innovate,” reads the story about her trip that appeared in her paper. And now that Sarah is back from her week-long leadership-learning tea-party, maybe she and Dan can really start innovating and whatnot. mairin@atlanticfrank.ca According to the writers, Dan didn’t reply to either email. Dan’s minion Frank de Palma then sent a note to each freelancer saying if they didn’t sign by April 30, they could no longer expect to toil for the Chronically Horrid. Management insisted on dealing with the freelancers one-on-one, “a classic stance of high-handed employers since the labour movement began,” writes Donald. “They have refused to negotiate with the writers as a group. It’s a divide and conquer approach,” says Chris Benjamin signatory and Coast writer who says he won’t pitch to the Herald until it improves the contract. But Herald man Dan says the writers seeking to reach an agreement collectively “doesn’t make sense.” “Each one is an independent business unto themselves,” he insists. Silver Donald Cameron “They’ve evidently aligned themselves to a putative union and I don’t know any organization who would negotiate with an uncertified third party. There is no issue of collective bargaining, because there is no collective; it’s just a bunch of individuals.” Silver Don counters: “Then why is the Herald trying to impose one contract on everyone? The Herald created the collective, not us.” He says he told editor Dan that he’d would gladly negotiate one-on-one, “But I also told him that whatever he told me, I would communicate to everyone else, and that whatever one of us got, the others would expect.” Funny, that. There was another odd clause in the contract forbidding freelancers from discussing their financial terms. CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
COAST KISSES KUTCHER’S ARSE BY NEAL OZANO THE COAST WAS QUICK OFF THE MARK TO OFFER HALIFAX LIBERAL CANDIDATE, RESEARCHER AND HEADSHRINKER STAN KUTCHER A RETRACTION AND APOLOGY. Editor Kyle Shaw told an American blogger the alternative freebie apologized because “under our laws there are specific provisions to protect political candidates within a few days of an election. Given the timing of our publishing in this case, the story clearly ran afoul of the law.” With just five days left in the campaign, news editor Tim Bousquet’s story quoted Allison Bass, who wrote a book in 2008 about the the 2001 study by Kutcher and other experts about the antideppressant drug Paxil. But according to Kutcher’s April 29 threat of legal action, it was an accusation of lying, not the timing of the Coast story, that prompted the would-be MP to call for a retraction. The Coast almost instantaneously apologised, saying: “We sincerely regret having published those statements during the campaign.” A local lawyer says Shaw may have been vaguely and confusedly referring to section 22(1)(e)(i) of the Nova Scotia Defamation Act, which says, a “full and fair” retraction and apology to a story “against any candidate for public office” has to come five days before an election. HERALD, FROM PRVIOUS PAGE “If we’d signed it, we couldn’t even be talking to one another,” Don says. According to information gathered directly from writers by the CFU, the Herald hasn’t raised its freelance pay rates in 15 years (a few have negotiated small individual increases, while others have seen pay cuts). Big Kahuna Dan refutes that point, adding that Donald Cameron is likely one of the top-paid contributors and has no right to complain. “The Herald, unlike other organizations around here, is an ethical newspaper” says Leger (Who you talking about, Dan? — ed.), adding a lovely sermon about being one of the largest markets for freelancers in the province. “They should call Transcon, call the Irvings, see how much they’ll pay for a piece.” But SilDon says his rate was cut back by But Dan Burnett, a news lawyer and University of British Columbia media law prof, says: “Be it straight news or editorial, there’s no restriction on (content),” regardless of when it is.” The retraction and apology doesn’t necessarily mean The Coast is off the hook. Kutcher didn’t respond to an email asking if he’d be following through with his legal threats. Anonymous calls out Bousquet BY JACOB BOON A LEADER IN THE LOCAL CHAPTER OF ANTI- SCIENTOLOGY GROUP ANONYMOUS CALLS TIM BOUSQUET’S ACCUSATIONS OF ATTACKS AGAINST THE COAST’S WEBSITE TO BE UTTER “BULLSHIT.” Chris Salsman helps coordinate the Halifax chapter of the fiercely anti-Scientology group of internet hack-tivists, who were more than a little irked at some of The Coast’s recent election coverage. The furore erupted over News Editor Tim’s article on Dr. Stan Kutcher and his ties to a controversial drug study. After Kutcher-friendly commenters accused The Coast of Scientological backing, it didn’t take long for Anonymous to notice. In an April 28 posting on the Anonymous web board Why We Fight, online crusaders propose a “call to action,” listing The Coast’s website and server address, Herald typists not discussing wages or rights (not exactly as illustrated). 30% a few years ago. “I’ve asked a couple of times for the original rate to be reinstated, and the paper has flatly refused.” Top-brass Dan is rumoured to earn $400 a pop for his own fascinating columns, on top of his salary (Frank 581); more than “Most provinces have a provision in their defamation (statutes) to publish a full and fair retraction,” says Danny from his desk at UBC. But, he added, “It’s overstating to say it gets them out of trouble. It can reduce or eliminate damages.” So if you’re going to accuse someone of lying, Dan says, “you’d better be able to prove he’s a liar or you’re going to be in the glue.” neal@atlanticfrank.ca along with contact information for concerned Anons to comment on the situation. Which may be what Tim Bousquet was talking about when on May 1 he took to his Twitter account to write that, “Apparently, Anonymous attacked The Coast’s website. That’s really crazy.” Chris, who also happens to volunteer as Social Media Coordinator for Dr. Stan’s campaign, says Tim’s comments show a “complete lack of understanding” in how his compatriots function. “When they attack, they broadcast it,” Chris tells me. “There’s no ‘apparently’.” Chris also took the chance to issue a challenge to The Coast to release its web logs and show exactly where and how its site came under attack. Calls to Kyle Shaw, editor at The Coast, weren’t returned by deadline. jacob@atlanticfrank.ca Don, and more than the typical payment of $125-$150. Danster says the old contracts were written for the dark ages of writing, you know, on paper, before the new-fangled, ultrahip digital era. He asserts the new contract was designed to match to other news outlets across the nation and says the Herald needs to have its writers’ work available online in order to keep up with the hepcats at the other gazettes. (Previously, the copyright on the freelancers’ work would revert back to them after a week or so, and the Herald would have to take it down from its website.) Dan says they haven’t received much feedback on the matter of the missing freelancers, only a trifle handful of notes. “I got fewer than 10 letters. When a story about backyard chickens is in the paper, we receive 300 times the feedback.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 29 MAY 24, 2011 FRANK MAGAZINE 25
Page 1 and 2: Convicted molester moves to Bedford
Page 3 and 4: Letters Just testing... Dear Frank:
Page 5 and 6: BY ANDREW DOUGLAS WITH ALL DUE RESP
Page 7 and 8: BY NEAL OZANO GERALD KEDDY’S CONS
Page 9 and 10: ELECTION 2011 Is Karlheinz here yet
Page 11 and 12: Has anybody else had enough of LeRo
Page 13 and 14: The case of the Crown and the court
Page 15 and 16: Lonely at Rowan BY DAN WALSH ONLY T
Page 17 and 18: One hopes former Chief Justice Lorn
Page 19 and 20: Jumpin’ Judy Hare makes more than
Page 21 and 22: Jim Smith’s budget siesta BY DAN
Page 23: Mental Health Court news BY JACOB B
Page 27 and 28: By now I hope you’ve had the plea
Page 29 and 30: RALSTON, FROM PAGE 18 courses. Rich
Page 31 and 32: Tweets of the Week Follow Frank on
Page 33 and 34: Charles: The forgotten man By Roy A
Page 35 and 36: OH NO! WITHOUT OUR PRECIOUS X-WOMEN

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