Hey Media Co-op contributors (and other curious people),
Dawn Paley asked me for an udpate about what contributor-specific work I've been doing at the board, and suggested I write an update for all contributors. Here it is! Your other four board members will also have updates for you soon.
I've been working on a conflict resolution policy to be presented at the next AGM. I am using QPIRG Concordia's policy as a guide, which includes forming a conflict resolution committee to address issues as they arise. We need to work on our organizational accountability towards our contributor members, our reader members, and our editorial members.
Here in Vancouver, I've been working to make sure communication between the board and the local is going through the listserv (instead of through one individual at the VMC), so all VMC contributors can participate fully in decision-making. I also attend VMC meetings to update folks about where the board's at, and so I can report back about where the local's at. I assert the autonomy of the local with the board. One area for me to work on is to check in with other locals and see how connected or disconnected they feel from the board, the national ed collective, and other locals, so my focus is not solely on the VMC.
Throughout the course of these new local hires, the issue of keeping national editors connected to their locals has come up multiple times. We're continuing to figure out what this should look like, by using feedback from local contributors to adjust our job descriptions. This, while keeping in mind that it is a national editor position, paid by the national, to (primarily) work on the Dominion.
For the upcoming VMC hire, we will be putting into practice a brand spankin' new hiring policy drafted by Sharmeen, so as to structurally live up to our anti-oppressive values in our hires.
Wages! Every time we put a call-out into the world, one of the main responses we get is frustration and anger about the wage we're offering. We must pay living wages to our editors and offer solid amounts to our contributors who keep this whole thing happening! The recently-launched investigative fund pays $400 per 2200-word article, and is a great step in the right direction. Wage discussion is in its early stages at the board level, but we will absolutely address this issue. You, our contributor members, are telling us to.
I would love your feedback! Whether it's about what I've been working on, what you think I should be working on, or what you need and want and would love to see as an invaluable contributor member of the Media Co-op. Please feel free to email me, or comment publicly below.
This month is May Membership Month, an excuse to introduce friends and comrades to the Media Co-op! To join, click here: www.mediacoop.ca/join
In love, rage and copious amounts of glitter,
Nat Gray
Contributor Representative
Media Co-op Board of Directors