As in many other industries, the global pandemic underscored the need to call attention to our concerns for equitable working conditions. Organizing first began around access to protective equipment (PPE) and safety protocols. As photojournalists, our work is usually done outside the home and has the potential to put us at risk.

Secondary organizing began around a new contract with The Globe and Mail, through which we were able to negotiate collectively for the first pay increase in a generation. This laid the groundwork to create a space where freelancers could continue to organize together.

1. Fair rates

2. Fair contracts

3. Inclusive community

4. Educate police, health authorities, political offices on working and providing access for photojournalists

5. Educate the public about photojournalism

6. Work with government to offer greater protections for copyright

7. Affordable group rates on dental, health and pharmacy

8. National media cards for qualified members

Equitable working conditions mean many different things to different people. This is why we strive for proper representation, including the intersecting voices of BIPOC communities, 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, students, and retired photojournalists in our organization–in all geographical regions throughout the country.

We welcome all photographers, including those who sometimes work editorially or are interested in working in the future. As we strive to build an industry that is more inclusive, we also need to ensure that this is an industry with safe working conditions and pays a living wage that can support newcomers and lifelong career photojournalists alike. 

UPoC commits to democratic principles that place fairness, inclusivity, and dignity at the centre of its operational and organizational practice.

There is a long, powerful history of photojournalism and visual storytelling in Canada, but increasingly this work is falling to freelancers. As newsrooms have shrunk and photo departments have been gutted, visual journalism in Canada is in danger of collapsing.

Freelance rates have dwindled over the past 20 years, through stagnation against inflation and through cuts, while across the industry, reliance on freelance and contract labour has increased. The costs of producing meaningful photojournalism in Canada are being increasingly shouldered by these freelancers, living assignment-by-assignment.

A truly representative Canadian media requires a living wage. The untenable economics of this industry disproportionately create a barrier for BIPOC journalists, whose work we need to reflect a clear picture of the Canadian experience and to create relevance for new, untapped audiences.

This is happening amidst a sea change in the media diet of Canadian readers. Now, more than ever, our world is a visual one— news outlets cannot continue without strong visuals. But it is increasingly difficult for professional visual journalists to survive in it.

With more equitable partnerships, we will ensure publications can continue to count on the cadre of professional, independent journalists, and in turn support the sustainability of the entire industry.