I received this from the National Writer's Union. There is a followup at the bottom with a request that I share it with other writers. More info on the actual Supreme Court victory for freelancers can be found at any of these sites:

There were links to the NYTimes, but you have to be a subscriber, sorry. Here are the links for it:

http://www.nytimes.com/2001/06/26/technology/26BIZC.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/06/26/technology/26COPY.html
USA TODAY
L.A. TIMES
WASHINGTON POST
Video Clip (click on option in right hand column to view video clip)

URGENT-FREELANCERS, MAKE A PHONE CALL TO PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS!

In the wake of the Supreme Court victory for freelancers, the New York Times is attempting to mitigate their financial liabilities by seizing rights from freelancers.

DO NOT SIGN ANY CONTRACT THE TIMES IS OFFERING--EITHER IN PRINT OR ON THE WEB. YOU WILL BE GIVING UP YOUR RIGHTS AND POTENTIAL FINANCIAL COMPENSATION STEMMING FROM THE SUPREME COURT VICTORY.

In a Times "news" story covering their loss in the Supreme Court on June 25, two telephone numbers were published. Freelance writers were invited to call the numbers if they wanted "their work to remain available."

When one dials the numbers, a recorded message, citing the Supreme Court decision, says that the Times is "obliged" to remove freelance articles from electronic archives. Writers are then told that, if they want to keep their material in the Times' electronic archives, they must sign a contract-available on the web or via mail-granting the Times' the rights to your articles, for no further compensation AND releasing the Times from any claims for compensation in the future.

The National Writers Union is asking writers everywhere to flood the NY Times with phone calls immediately beginning at 9 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on Wednesday June 27, 2001 (if you see this message after that time, it's still important to make the calls). We are asking that you make two calls. The first to the automated message-when you reach the message, do not select the option to visit the web. Wait until the message ends and gives you options to receive the contract via mail and leave a recorded message making the following points: We want fair compensation for our work. We will not sign away our rights under duress. We believe in preserving the public record and there is no reason to delete articles-the Supreme Court cited licensing systems as one option. The NWU has created the Publication Rights Clearinghouse, which will resolve the liabilities from the lawsuit by legally licensing rights to individual articles

Then, call the office of the Times' Publisher Arthur Sulzberger and object to the Times' rejection of offers the NWU has made to negotiate, as well as the paper's attempt to take away rights from writers without fair compensation.

Phone numbers:
Automated message: (212)-556-8008; (212-)-556-8009; 888-814-2698 (toll free)

Arthur Sulzberger: 212-556-3588

TODAY'S FOLLOWUP:

The calls NWU members made registered with The New York Times. From a story today in inside.com comes this quote from Catherine Mathis, spokeperson for the Times:

''We've received a large volume calls from free-lancers today, apparently from the NWU who feel that we shouldn't remove the articles,'' Mathis of the Times says."

We thank you for your activism. It makes a huge difference. If you haven't made your call, do so. If you have, forward the information to another writer and ask that s/he make a call.

We still hope that rational publishers will sit down to negotiate a fair settlement. But, we are also working on other plans to force the publishers to abide by the ruling of the Supreme Court. Stay tuned.