Some Paris success stories

There are many good reasons to join the Paris NUJ. Here are just some of them - all quotes from NUJ Paris branch members.

Press card

 ‘The NUJ Press Card is recognised throughout France. It’s more useful here than in the UK and nine times out of ten just as good as a French card.’

 ’Joining the NUJ has meant not only free entry but, even better, by-passing the long queues for special exhibitions at the Institut de Monde Arabe and the Musée André Jaquemart, just by waving my press card.’

 ’Contracting out meant that non-professional staff at the Louvre did not realise what the UK press card was and denied me free entry. A letter from the branch sorted the problem out and we now have a letter of the website that we can flash in case of any problems.’

Tax guide

 ‘Without the NUJ Paris tax guide I would never have known about the journalists’ tax-free allowance. It made a real difference to my tax bill.’

 ’As a non-European returning to France from the UK I assumed I’d have no social security cover. But shortly after I transferred in to Paris Branch from Cambridge, I received the annual Tax for Hacks bulletin and learned I could remain attached to UK NI - at 1/10th of the cost of the French scheme. This covered me until retirement, since which I’ve received partial annual UK pension income for the years I contributed. In 4 words, it saved my bacon. It’s a great pity France no longer honours the EC directive allowing social security portability for freelance journalists. But in my own case, I’d have been ruined financially without that great advice from Paris Branch. And that’s just one of the many benefits membership has given me. Keep it going!’

Jobs grapevine

 ‘I can honestly say that all of my French clients – as opposed to my English ones – have come through the NUJ Paris.’

 ’I’ve had a good response and some promising candidates, so it was well worth the investment of 75 Euros’ (feedback from an employer using the Paris jobs grapevine)

 ’Thanks to announcements in the Jobs Grapevine, I have regular work as a freelancer for AFP and for a communications agency that was looking for an English writer to work on various in-house magazines. I would estimate that 25% of my total income comes from these two sources that I would never have found without Grapevine.’

 ’In the jobs grapevine, I found work with a photographer in Paris looking for someone to translate the poems he had written to accompany a book of photographs of New York. I contacted him and secured that job and he was so delighted with my work he recommended me to a friend who needed a play translated - a contract about 8 times bigger than the initial one - and I got that too. That’s covered my NUJ subscription for a good few years!’

 ’Having a disability, it’s hard for me to travel to work everyday, but after doing an online test for someone who advertised on Grapevine, I secured freelance editing work and though payment is a little tardy, it all helps out so thanks NUJ Paris.’

Help getting fairly paid

 ‘The European “Rate for the Job” database helped me negotiate a fee for a book that was 25% higher than that offered.’

 ’France 24 have often asked me to comment on a story but for no payment. Following a letter from the Paris branch, they told me last time: "you may like to know our policy has changed and you would now receive payment". Victory! Thanks NUJ.’

 ’When an educational establishment paid me only two thirds of what they had offered for preparing a course for journalism students I sought the advice of the branch freelance officer. A letter from the branch resulted in the missing €535 being paid.’

Legal advice

 ’The NUJ both nationally and here in Paris embarked on a marathon court case alongside the French SNJ-CGT union against Bloomberg News to put pressure on Bloomberg to respect the French journalists’ collective bargaining agreement, especially seniority payments and payment of a 13th month. The case is ground-breaking because it is the first time a foreign union has tried to represent foreign workers in France. If it succeeds, it will create a European jurisprudence with far-reaching consequences in all 27 EU member states. If not, it will have the merit of being the first attempt at cross-border union activity in the EU and an example for others to follow.’

 ‘NUJ Paris helped me to get a redundancy settlement of over £2,000 - more than I had expected - thanks to its links with the French unions. Members gave me contacts, information and moral support.’

 ‘The NUJ, thanks to the Paris branch, reimbursed 5,000 euros in legal costs for a member’s appeal against an employer who had refused payment. The appeal was successful. We also chased up a UK publisher who had filed for bankruptcy but owed hundreds of pounds to a Paris branch member. The member got most of the money owed.’

 ‘The NUJ can fight the battles that you don’t have the time, inclination or muscle to fight yourself.’

 ’The NUJ was of invaluable support when I was negotiating severance, helping me liaise with the (French union) SNJ who provided the legal support because I was employed under a French contract.’

 ’We were able to help a number of members at a contract publishers including providing translation and legal help all the way to the French employment tribunal - which we won. The French works inspector also paid the employer visit afterwards.’

Members discounts

 ‘I saved several hundred pounds on Apple equipment through NUJ membership.’

 ’Joining the NUJ will get you the best of both worlds – both the NUJ’s broader services and, of course everything that is wonderful about the Paris branch and, the rough the joint agreements with the French unions, the workplace protection of a French union – all at a lower rate than it would cost you to join a French union directly.’

Local networking

 ‘I managed to arrange a flat-swap for nothing through the NUJ.’

 ‘Working as a freelance here can be such a Kafkaesque experience that sometimes I think that it’s only meeting with others in the same boat through NUJ Paris that keeps me sane.’

 ‘As well as a sense of solidarity, you really can make friends and influence people by joining the NUJ. We had a very, VERY entertaining NUJ Christmas Dinner and Cabaret. Implausible but true.’

 ’Of the many Anglo associations here, I have found the NUJ the most fulfilling, socially and professionally.’

 ’Thanks to the grapevine, I once did a houseswap with a journalist living in the Cevennes which worked really well. ’

Professional help

 ‘I’ve got a number of leads for good stories from branch meetings of NUJ Paris.’

 ’Apart from the obvious contact and advice from the branch, I think it would be well worth joining for the free courses alone (if we could run more of them). I travelled up from the south of France for the free Online Journalism Training Course last year which was really good and in my mind well worth the time as well as the cost of the flight up from Nice. ‘

And finally,

 ’For reasons I do not wish to go into, I am basically an illegal alien in France. I have neither a long-term visa nor a carte de sejour stamp in my American passport. Obviously, I am usually well past the three-month entry date for a tourist.

In May 2008, on a business trip to London, I ran into a problem at the passport control for Eurostar. A British passport control officer pointed out to me that I was illegal and that she should not allow me through. She asked what kind of person would be travelling around without the proper visas. I told her I was a journalist, freelance, but on assignment — and flashed my NUJ card. Her demeanor was instantly transformed: ‘Oh, well, right then,’ she said, stamped my passport and let me through.’