Rise Up, Freelancers! - First Demonstration of Freelancers in Publishing Industry Succeeds

"Raise the fees!" "Ten thousand yen for 400 characters!" "No more tolerance for their treatment of freelancers as disposable items!" These voices echoed in the gloaming around Jimbocho, Tokyo. On May 25, freelancers working in the publishing industry staged a demonstration to appeal about their plight. The working conditions of freelancers in the publishing industry are worsening. Realities include article fees that have not been raised for more than 40 years, editing allowances being cut continually and lowering royalty rates as well as reduction of the number of copies of the first edition of a book. The demonstration is the first one by freelancers in the publishing industry, and is realization of the assertion that "Freelancers should also get united and demonstrate" that has been debated over years.
By Takuya Kobayashi
Photo by Hitomi Nishimura


立ち上がれ！フリーランス～初の出版フリーランスデモ成功
「ギャラを上げろ」「400字1万円を」「フリーの使い捨て許すな」との声が、夕方の東京・神田神保町にこだました。5月25日、出版業界でフリーランスとして働く有志が、苦境を訴えるべくデモを行った。出版業界で働くフリーランスの労働条件は悪化している。40年以上上がらない原稿料、相次ぐ編集手当の切り下げ、印税率の低下と初刷部数の低下などが現実としてある。今回のデモは出版フリーランスの苦境を訴えた初のデモであり、長年賛否両論を込めて言われ続けてきた「フリーランスも団結してデモを行うべきだ」という意見が実現された形だ。（小林拓矢） 　＊写真・西村仁美