UNEQ wants to correct a “lack of information”

The Union of Quebec Writers (UNEQ) persists and signs: the contributions imposed on authors as well as the sale of the House of Writers are vital to its new union mission. But members should have had access to more information on these controversial issues, recognizes Suzanne Aubry, president of the association. “I apologize,” she wrote in a letter released Tuesday evening and that The Press has obtained.

Since June 3, UNEQ has had the power and responsibility to negotiate collective agreements under the new Status of the Artist Act.

The President’s missive sent to the members is accompanied by a 37-page guide in anticipation of an extraordinary general meeting on March 29. Union dues and the sale of the Writers’ House, two thorny subjects, will be debated and put to the vote.

“We worked very, very hard for the adoption of the law [sur le statut de l’artiste]explains M.^me Aubry in a telephone interview with The Press. Once it was adopted, we wanted to set up the negotiation process as soon as possible. It was found that there was a change of tectonic plates. We thought that information meetings would suffice, but we were wrong about that. »

The required deductions, i.e. 2.5% of income for members and 5% for non-members, were ratified in June 2022 during a virtual assembly where only 46 voters were present. Authors and authors have stepped up to the plate, accusing the union association of acting without consultation.

Under the fire of criticism in full holiday season, did the president feel like giving up? “No, but it was very trying,” she said. The general manager, the board of directors and I have been particularly in the hot seat. It’s not that we don’t accept criticism, but the magnitude that it can take in social networks, it’s intense. She hopes for a change in tone for the future.

Additional expenses

In the comprehensive guide given to members, the UNEQ reiterates the need to collect union dues. The association explains that it must “finance the direct costs of the various negotiation tables: staff, member consultations, legal advisers, possible recourse to the court, etc. Hiring will cost $250,000 to $400,000 over the next two to three years, she predicts.

Meetings have already taken place with the National Association of Book Publishers and Sogides, a Quebecor publishing group.

The proposed contribution rates, different for members and non-members, are inspired by “existing practices in certain artists’ unions”, explains the board of directors, which says it juggles “fragile” finances.

“If the members decide that there are no union dues, it will become very difficult for us to play our role as a union,” warns Ms.^me Aubry, optimistic about the outcome of the ballot.

According to the results, the UNEQ does not exclude union affiliation; it is studying a proposal from the FNCC-CSN received last November. If it is retained, the members will decide in assembly.

House of writers

As for the House of Writers, another sensitive file, the UNEQ justifies its sale by invoking significant operating and construction costs. According to an inspection report, these notably affect the masonry, electricity and foundations of the historic building, for an estimated bill of $200,000.

“It would also be necessary to take into account compliance work (accessibility and security) in the event that the Writers’ House continues to welcome the public”, we read in the guide.

Since 2020, in a pandemic context, the Writers’ House has cost $50,000 to $60,000 annually. If literary events were held there again, the bill would rise to around $170,000 per year from 2023 to 2027, according to the organization. Upgrading the building and hiring staff would be the major expense items.

In the event that the building would no longer house public activities, which would jeopardize an exemption from property taxes, the annual costs would fluctuate between $90,000 and $160,000 in the next four years, calculates the UNEQ.

The sale was a “very difficult” decision, assures the president in an interview. “I am attached to this house, and the council too. But it is obvious that with the financial situation we are experiencing and the obligations related to the negotiation of collective agreements, we [continuerait d’être] in chronic deficit. »

The rental of a space of 1400 sq.ft.^⁠2 in the premises of the Union des artistes, where the UNEQ intends to set up, must cost around $48,500 in the first year.

“La Maison des écrivains is not the only way to promote Quebec literature,” reads the UNEQ preparatory guide, which lists many activities organized in other places and online. In addition, the building in Square Saint-Louis “could become a place of literary dissemination”, notes Suzanne Aubry. ” We are talking about it ! »