Exploited WAHMS - stand up and be united!

Ok so Sher and I ranted on the phone this afternoon when we started on the topic of how much we were being paid for our freelance writing. PEANUTS.... really. We totally agree that those blasted magazines run by the two big media companies in Singapore are so absolutely exploiting us - WAHMS - work at home mums. Recently i was offered $300 for a 1200 word article - that's 25 cents per word. Very sad to think that this is how much they value our writing. So did i take up the job? YESSSS.... wait wait, it's not like i'm desperate for that moolah (note: they can take up mooonths to pay us); no, it's not that i don't have other writing assignments (note: i have a full time job AND studies); and NO... i am not stoopid, crazy or simply masochistic. The only reason i agreed was because the article is going to be about ALTERNATIVE birthing options - hey, that's my kind of thing and hey, this is a mainstream magazine and a great opportunity for me to brainwash some moms to be open minded and to try in my little way to let other moms know that birthing is not just about screaming your way to delivery. And so, i said yes.... and then no to two other assignments that were just simply too impossible for me to complete.

But that's the story of our lives. At least for some of us, cos i can't presume to speak on everyone's behalf. We write because we do enjoy learning new things, and because we're interested. But i think the mags believe that we're just desperate SAHMs (stay home moms) who have nothing else to do and so won't mind a LITTLE income on the side. Sher and I both agree that hey, that's not US. We were professionally trained in school, plus we are writing from actual experiences and we do pretty good research, AND we do write well (ya la.... this is trumpeting ourselves but hey, we need to stand up and be counted sometimes!). So we do deserve more respect.

And so why are we subjecting ourselves to such exploitation? WHY? Would things help if we unionise WAHMS who write? That's be a first in Singapore! But hey, at least set up a network and perhaps lobby for better rates? Would Singaporean WAHMs take up a stand? Or will they simply say "never mind, lah" and allow the mags to continue dumbing down our rates? Do our words really mean so little?

Do you know other WAHMS who write? Give a shout out! We could arrange a lunch out for WAHMS-WW (work@home moms who write) and see what brews...