Strikers' Picket Line Up at HuffPo - Do Not Cross

Wondering how you can show solidarity with and support for union members fighting exploitation by The Rich? Beyond buying pizzas for protesters? Here's a great one: support writers striking Huffington Post.

Guild tells HuffPost writers: 'Don't work for free'

The Newspaper Guild is calling on unpaid writers of the Huffington Post to withhold their work in support of a strike launched by Visual Art Source in response to the company's practice of using unpaid labor. In addition, we are asking that our members and all supporters of fair and equitable compensation for journalists join us in shining a light on the unprofessional and unethical practices of this company.

Just as we would ask writers to stand fast and not cross a physical picket line, we ask that they honor this electronic picket line.

The Newspaper Guild, a 26,000-member-strong national union of media workers, is committed to fair compensation for all workers, whether they are freelance bloggers or traditional employees. We are further committed to promoting quality journalism. Working for free does not benefit workers and undermines quality journalism.

In response to the Huffington Post's refusal to compensate its thousands of writers in the wake of its $315 million merger with AOL, the Newspaper Guild has requested a meeting with company officials to discuss ways the Huffington Post might demonstrate its commitment to quality journalism. Thus far, the request has been ignored.

Visual Art Source, http://visualartsource.com, an art publication, represents more than 50 writers who have said they will no longer write for the Huffington Post for free and who object to a company that depends on unpaid labor for its success.

As Cherie Turner, one of the former writers, explained, "Certainly, we all have written for free for the great exposure the Huffington Post can give us, but what's the cost? Those of us on strike feel it undermines the value of our profession and is unethical, especially in light of great profits by those at the top. We are only asking for a fair share of what we are helping to create. We are also speaking out against real journalism being run side-by-side with advertorial."

We feel it is unethical to expect trained and qualified professionals to contribute quality content for nothing. It is unethical to cannibalize the investment of other organizations that bear the cost of compensation and other overhead without payment for the usage of their content. It is extremely unethical to not merely blur but eradicate the distinction between the independent and informed voice of news and opinion and the voice of a shill.

Read the whole thing.

You don't have to be a writer to support this strike. Stop reading huffpo. Stop clicking links to it. Stop linking it in blogposts and emails to friends. And tell all your friends to avoid huffpo like the plague.

There are dozens if not hundreds of news websites out there with all the news that huffpo has with none of the superstitious woo, celebrity gossip and abuse of workers.

Staying away from huffpo will make you a strong supporter of workers and unions who is better informed, better looking, healthier and better in bed than huffpo readers.