Biting the hand that (used to) feed you.......An Appeal to my Fellow Framers

As some of you know, I wrote a monthly column for DECOR Magazine for almost 8 years and was responsible for bringing Business related education to the trade shows where I was a featured speaker at the Learning Centers. Some of your fellow Grumblers have taken up the helm and have dutifully written wonderful articles for DECOR on a monthly basis including my wife, Barbara, who has patiently and silently been waiting for payment for work since last August (although the article was solicited and submitted in June).

After surveying other writers, it appears that DECOR has not paid them as well, some of them for more than one article that have already been published.

Recent correspondence has been ignored, telephone calls not returned, The Editor "has been assigned to other duties", the replacement Editor "has left to pursue other opportunities" and the new Editor "has not started yet," despite the Publisher's referral of payment queries to him.

The biggest insult came today when DECOR announced that they will no longer pay "guest" authors for their work as the prestige of having your work appear in their publication should be more than enough compensation.......and they admit that they "may lose a few writers" over this change in policy.

So, DECOR has no motivation to pay those who fulfilled their writing obligations and have cut them off from any future compensation (if they are foolish enough to continue to produce product)....and are looking to the framing community to write for ego.

I am appealing to my fellow Grumblers- if you feel you have benefited from the writings of your fellow Grumblers- I ask that you refrain from boosting your egos by providing content to DECOR - at least until those who are owed money have been paid.

 

I wonder how long they are going to be around? I remember Decor being 1/2" thick every month and that it actually arrive on time. Lately you can finish with it in one sitting .

 

That may be the funniest thing I have read in a long time.

On the other hand, it is sad when a trade publication sees no value in what we do.

 

Is this yet another extrapolation of the "Internet concept" into magazines, or have evil beancounters taken over at the publishing company? It's a sad day for writers.

OK, there is such a thing as a publication animated by an enthusiastic amateur staff, working on something they love for peanuts or less. For them, I would write articles for free. But Decor is not one of those, and they need to do better.

For those facing the "should I work for free" issue, here is a decision matrix you may find useful. Start from the center.

 

Seems it wasn't so long ago that we were feeling hopeful about DECOR's change of personnel and direction. Sounds like that train has veered off the tracks.
:kaffeetrinker_2: Rick

 

There are even frameshops and galleries that think we should work for free. There is a gallery in the Phoenix area that has for months and months advertised for an unpaid gallery internship position. There is a new ad for an experienced framer right now in Phoenix , $9.00 an hour and no benefits.
What a sad joke, I guess they could do it for 50 cents an hour in China.

 

Hear hear, Rob. If they don't pay their writers, they are going to have a hard time claiming prestige when they have no articles.

 

Prior to starting my own business, I worked at a frame shop that had 11 employees. When my one year anniversary rolled around, I inquired about raises. I was laughed at by the manager.

The others started telling me about their previous raises. One person got 9 cents and hour, another got 12 cents and hour and a third received 7 cents an hour. The manager who hadn't gotten a raise in over 2 years, finally got one. It was for 150 dollars...not a week, or a month, not even for a year, but for 2 years (1 being retroactive) That's less then 4 cents and hour!

I was shocked, but it seemed the norm to all of them. Sadly, they had no other choice, but to work there.

Leaving that place was the best decision I ever made.

 

I hear you. I've been able to do OK in this market although the horrible Phoenix housing market drop has really hurt the framing business here.
People are losing their homes and not thinking a lot about framing artwork.
I do all the framing for two shops and some contract work on the side. I have accumulated enough equipment to start my own business, but the economy here right now is kind of scary.

 

Neil, don't look back and just go for it!

When I made my decision to leave that job, I first went out looking for another job. I was offered one at another shop as well as Michaels.

I realized that it would only take a few jobs a week to make the salary I was being paid, so I took the plunge. I called every customer and contact I had an asked if they knew any shops looking for someone to outsource their framing to.

Within weeks, I had more work then I could handle. Wholesale and contract work brings in volume, the money may be 1/2 of the retail price, but you're always busy. Fair trade off.

 

Rob, you have my full support. This is very sad, we can't live of prestige, it does not pay mortgage or groceries and it takes a lots of experience, knowledge and time to write a good article.

 

Thanks, Mark, I appreciate your input. I had my own business from 1981 to 1987, started in a recession and ended in a recession. I didn't go broke but I didn't make much either. I know a lot more now than I did then and I have some of my own clients, corporate and retail, who like my framing work and design (and price).
I probably will take the plunge again while I still have plenty of energy and drive.

 

I don't have a problem with them (or any publication) having a policy of only accepting unpaid submissions. What I do have a problem with is them breaking a contract (even if "only" oral) and deciding after the fact that ego is payment enough. That is like me hiring someone at $X/hr and then when the first paycheck comes saying "oh, I decided that the position will be an unpaid internship".

I hope that some of their advertisers will take note of this and hold them accountable. I would, but we stopped advertising with them several years ago so I have no hold on them. Along with everything else that has gone on in the last several years, I'm afraid the future doesn't look very good for Decor Mag.

 

Breaking a contract, oral or written, by not paying as promised is just plain wrong. Looks like Decor is on it's last legs IMO. Sadly it reflects an industry in decline and should be of major concern to all of us still hanging on.

 

As a former writer for Decor (back at the dawn of time) (when I did receive payment) - this just makes me sad.

After 100+ years.

Sad.

But a sign of the times - few people want paper magazines anymore - I guess the young folks can read everything they need to read in an online format.

But the only place I read about framing online is right here.

Buh-bye, Decor, it was nice to know you!

 

Just curious, but for all of you who are upset by Decor Magazine's lack of payment to its contributors, would you choose to cancel your subscription and refrain from ordering supplies from them on this basis? I wonder if they are promoting "the prestige of having your article published for free" in their magazine?

Also, I worked for a frame shop for three years, trained to become a manager (and even was an acting manager for several months), and then they had some financial troubles and gave a "temporary" 15% pay deduction to all employees. I went from $10 to $8.50 an hour (with no benefits). I was willing to try to wait it out until the temporary deduction looked permanent and I found out we were training new hires for the same pay as I was receiving. I found a new job with much better pay. If you don't pay people for what they are worth (or for the articles they write) then don't expect to have a product or business worth much as all the best workers or contributors will go where they are valued.

And for those mentioning internships, I think the reason people choose to do unpaid internships is for two reasons. One, you are essentially teaching someone a set of skills and providing experience with your valuable time and with your business' reputation on the line. I think its fair that the business gets free work if the intern gets a free education. Also, I heard from a friend that if the business chooses to pay the intern that, in certain circumstances, they are then also required to extend certain benefits to the intern, like health insurance. This may end up making an intern more expensive to than the business thinks is worth it.

 

Decor has offered free subscriptions to framers for many years and, as far as I know, other than books, they sell no supplies. They are not connected to Decor Moulding & Supplies.

Hmmm, could it be that the free subscriptions, like free corner samples, will prove to be our downfall in this industry?

 

I have no affiliation (or affinity for that matter) for Decor magazine.

I feel for you (and apparently the others) Rob. I really do. Not paying you for something that was agreed upon is horrible and likely reflects directly upon the morals of the leaders of that company as well being a direct window into the future of how they will likely damage others as a result of an overblown and unearned ego.

I know this won't be a popular statement but it is how I feel so here we go.

Trying this in the public court might not be the best thing for a publication that you once spoke glowingly about almost monthly. It is likley to feed into that whole disclosure argument again. I hope that this is an anomoly post out of frustration and that your support of them continues in the public eye while you fight behind the scenes for what is truly yours. The battle for your paycheck should be a private one, between you and the employer. If they want to wallow around in the mud, don't feel that it's best for you to get dirty as well.

 

Awwwww Rob!! I'm sooo sorry!!

THIS TOTALLY BLOWS!!!!!! :soapbox:

I can just imagine how many other of my FAVORTIES they are rear~ending!!

Not to even answer you back!? What the heck!!!! We (as a framing industry) look to these magazines to inspire and help our businesses!!! I think they are going about it the wrong way to breech their contracts with the SOUL reasons people read their magazines!!

I think they have a lot of explaining to do!

 

I agree that it is wrong not to pay as agreed.

I think the explaining will be that they are going broke and soon will cease to exist. What happens to any business that trys to stay too long when it is on its way out. They stop paying employees and suppliers. The writing appears to be on the wall, if not on the pages.

 

My thoughts exactly. Sorry this happened to you Rob.

 

...and five or six other contributors, as well.

 

I just had another thought about something this morning...

Just in case this is a case of misunderstanding (the editor at the time didn't create the proper bills for payment....especially if they were all around the same time period?)...

Wouldn't accounts payable be the department handle this? Was your recent correspondence to them?

It could be just a big hole in the loop..if the new editors having nothing to do with your receiving payment (other than validating a bill for you), it would be no wonder that calling that office wouldn't resolve anything. They weren't even there when it was created. While they can easily see what article you contributed, they also couldn't just create a bill not knowing what A/P may or may not have already paid. And honestly, chasing down an old bill is probably one of the last things on the new editor's minds.

But if A/P does handle it.... perhaps you can solve the problem by sending in your own invoice for the article, along with a copy of a bill you create...or asking them what they need to issue payment. But whatever you do needs to be in writing to A/P.

(I once worked for a huge industry doing batch bills for A/P. If we were missing one piece of paper, it didn't get paid. Most A/P workers. (there were five of us)...had so much to do, they didn't try to call around to find what was needed to get it paid. They simply waited for someone who didn't know what we wanted to mysteriously send it. Needless to say, I was getting bills paid that were two years old. Very few places called on their own to see what we were missing.)

With this many contributors not being paid, its hard to say...but just thought I'd throw it out there in case.

On the other hand, if my fellow framers and contributors continue to not be paid and the misunderstanding isn't cleared up... I'd be incredibly disappointed.

 

Won't you be able to talk to them face to face in a few days? I know WCAF is a PFM thing but I've seen Decor's editor motoring around the trade show in previous years.

From some of your comments it sounds like a very recent problem... saying that some folks haven't been paid for more than 1 article (inferring for most the problem pertains to the most recent issue) and saying that recent attempts at communication have been ignored. I hope that this is the case and it's just a transitional problem with your money due and I hope you get it. Sounds like the interm editor left without submitting your payment paperwork.

As for not paying guest authors in future issues, which must be the main point of this thread if the non-payment issues are recent, they can do what they want I guess. I would imagine the quality of articles will decline accordingly, and anyone who submits one will be treated like a scab worker.

Not a good situation.

 

It's not a recent problem nor an isolated incident. I know of at least six contributors, including myself, who are in the same situation. The same problem occured last year, going back to articles that appeared in the January 2010 issue.

I doubt Rob would have brought it up in a public forum, and I certainly would not be commenting on it, if it were a matter of a check being a week late or if we had only made one or two attempts to get paid. Numerous attempts have been made and ignored.

 

Well I was hopeful it wasn't as big a problem as it is, because it sounded like there was at least that possibility. This is very unfortunate.

 

As unfortunate as it gets.

 

Just to clear up any misunderstanding- my professional relationship with DECOR ended with the new regime and they do not owe me any money.

My wife, Barbara has written for them and is still owed money as are a good number of other contributors.

I write and teach for Picture Framing Magazine, who pays promptly, communicates regularly, returns phone calls and e-mails, and puts on the BEST domestic trade show in the industry.

My intent in going public is NOT to try this in the court of public opinion, but rather to make others aware that if they "write for ego" they are providing content to a publication that owes its previous contributors money.

It was more about asking others not to write than to solicit ideas on how those who are owed money can be paid.

 

I sympathise with those who have contributed and can't get paid. The problem with lack of communication goes deeper than that though. In Canada we are not eligible for free subscriptions. Decor has so far not responded to requests for paid subscriptions either.

 

I had actually forgotten about Decor because things had been so busy and because I haven't seen one in so long. The last issue I received was September 2010. What is the current issue?

Yaknow what's kind of cutthroat is cuz PFM has "Decor" in their metatags and their SEO is so much better they actually come up at the top of the google list when you search for "Decor Magazine," while the first Decor link goes to a dead page. Getting there, the info seems dated and I can't tell what's up. For example "Newsmakers" from January is January 2010, and the latest seems to be May 2010. And their current poll is "How were your summer sales?"

It certainly is becoming a challenge to read or even know what is current.

If they won't pay then screw it. Baer, William Dave and Brian (throwing out some Decor names at random) put out an email subscription newsletter/blog and who knows you might make more than you did before, I have no idea. I'd subscribe though.

 

This is unconscionable. You guys deserve to be paid. It's not like the public is out there reading Decor at the doctor's office and then rushing off to the pictured frame shop. And having your profile raised in the picture framing industry is useful if you want to teach classes, but writing articles IS teaching a class.

Shame on Decor. And I think it's perfectly acceptable for Rob to mention this because you KNOW that Decor is going to be out there begging for free submissions. Some might want to hop on that but others might rather wait and see what pops up to replace Decor, which is looking pretty skinny these days.

Unfortunately nothing really works anymore but to hit people where it hurts - in the wallet. Write complaint letters to Decor's major advertisers. Something along the line of: Decor is effectively gutting their content.

 

Ditto.

 

Found out the info I asked for, copying twitter post here ... Be sure to check out the latest issue of DECOR! http://decor.epubxpress.com/

Looks like the current issue is Oct2010, which was announced on their twitter feed on Dec 17th.

Had to go to the feed to see that the magazine was available online after searching all over their front page and giving up on current content. That should be fixed. Not that October is current.

 

Oh goody, the color trends issue. Will the green be apple or lime this year? :icon11:

Don't work for free. The articles you guys write are the only interesting or useful things in this rag. Otherwise it's just a newsletter of industry announcements with some ads for Chinese paintings.

 

Thanks for all of the support, and nice compliments.

You guys made it all worthwhile.

Now, about that on-line magazine......:help:

 

Go for it, Baer. I know I'll follow.

 

Welcome to my world...

The art world has been like this, and still is! I can go to any reliable, professional arts forum and see ads asking for art for, a game,a magazine,etc..for NO pay..Oh but "Free exposure",Whoopty freaking Doohdah! L

 

FYI, I sent an email to the Publisher and received a response Tuesday night. She does claim they intend to pay the outstanding debts (but claimed the details were not as pernicious are presented), and there was a promise to "post a response on the Grumble tomorrow but need to finish collecting the information before I do so". I guess that's just one more broken promise.

 

I must say that I am really disappointed with Decor. I have been one of their biggest supporters and advertisers and they have let me down so many times in the past year. My Decor ads, before they were sold, used to pull 8 out of 10 sales. Since the sale I was lucky to get 1 or 2 out of 10. I am supposed to have a full page ad in the Dec. Sources issue, which has dated information pretaining to the WCAF show in the ad, and they assured me that it would be out in pleanty of time. If I could afford it, I'd buy the magazine myself, because it has too much history to let it go down the way it is. Between the magazine and the Atlanta show, the industry has lost a great deal, in deed.:shrug::nuts:arty::faintthud:

 

Well said Pat...First Atlanta, now Decor..next?

 

hard time claiming prestige when they have no articles

nor a periodical, nor any gainsayers, etc etc

had hopes the new owners could/would be able to make it go but, obviously not...a terrible shame they are resorting to these cheap tactics. As for their not paying for all those articles---->were they signed/sealed/delivered contracts(of which you BOTH have copies)??? In the spotlight of refusing to acknowledge/ducking any contact from the 'offended' authors...it would seem you all have NO recourse but to get together and file a class action suit(I know...I know---only the lawyers will benefit!!!) and perhaps a 'cease & desist' against doing business in any/all states????
if they are down the tubes so far as to be running/hiding from contact, then they are also nearly out of options and you 'debt-ees' will need to fight for anything you are able to get in recompence(and get on the 'repay list' before there is a flood of them)!!) BEFORE they close the doors (which cannot be that far down the road!!!!!) lol. we all feel the pain(on both sides of this)

 

A few thoughts...

1. Reality check: In our industry, writers are paid only a few hundred dollars for a magazine article. I doubt you could find a lawyer willing to file a class action lawsuit for a what might amount to a few thousand dollars in total. Small Claims Court would be a more likely venue.

2. Most of us would like to save the magazine, not help kill it. If you could find a lawyer willing to go after the magazine, the cost of defending the lawsuit(s) might put a quick end to the enterprise and dash the hopes of the unpaid writers. Revenge is not exactly a noble purpose, especially when it hurts innocents and, in this case, our own industry.

3. You can't get blood from a turnip, no matter how good a lawyer you hire.

 

" I doubt you could find a lawyer willing to file a class action lawsuit for a what might amount to a few thousand dollars"

might try the ACLU???? they about in a lot of stuff that possesses little or no substantive quality

dont think this would do much towards killing them off---they seem well on their way to doing that without anyones help

" can't get blood from a turnip"
no you can't BUT it just might get them to institute a payment program wherein they start with the OLDEST debt and pay it off, then move onto the NEXT oldest etc etc....

"writers are paid only a few hundred dollars for a magazine article"
If the recompence is so small it should, then, be a relatively 'easy' thing to eliminate, yes??? They certainly need to do SOMETHING about their situation. They will, it seems to me, be having very few 'contributors' in future IF they continue the 'no payment for articles delivered' policy.

 

While it would be sad to see a magazine like Decor go under, with the loss of jobs, etc., I really do question whether a fairly small (and shrinking) industry like ours really needs two trade publications. And two annual trade shows, for that matter. Consolidation, while painful, will probably end up making the survivors stronger. If there is one trade publication, it will be able to reach a larger audience, and command higher ad rates. That will make it more financially stable. Let's just hope that the survivor takes a more professional approach towards its contributors.

 

As one who DOES have a dog in the fight, I'd like to ask two things.

1) Please dial that rhetoric back just a wee bit. Nobody is owed enough to get it out past Small Claims.
We appreciate the community's support, and it has been duly noted by all of those affected.

2) Those writers who are emailing or calling John Taff. He's been gone for 5 years, and isn't really back yet....
but is trying to work this all out. He is feeling less like standing in front of the proverbial fan, and more like a
static target at a rifle range. A little dial back on him would go a long way towards us getting paid.

As a banker once told an angry loan applicant "right now there are two of us that want to make sure you get the loan;
but one of us is losing interest real fast." ​

Thanks for listening you'all.


I'm going to Vegas . . . I'm going to Vegas . . . I'm going to Vegas . . .
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. . . . .

 

A Little Explanation...

Here's a note on this subject I'm posting for Kim Feager, DECOR's publisher.


Dear Grumblers,

There’s been a lot of wild talk on these boards lately, specifically pertaining to DECOR and its contributing writers. As with anything, in a vacuum there’s a lot of speculation, so I thought I’d post something to clear up the matter if I can.

Contributing writers have played an important role in DECOR’s 130-year history. From people like Paul Frederick to Vivian Kistler, contributing writers have helped DECOR’s readers with everything from business ideas to framing tips. We expect that long-standing tradition to remain.

That said, first and foremost, any contributing writers who have provided material to DECOR with the agreement that they will be paid for their contribution absolutely will be paid. Period. This was never in question. If we made agreements with writers, we absolutely intend to honor those agreements. I am looking now into any open invoices we have with writers and we will get those cleared up.

I would ask you, if you have been a writer with DECOR in the past, to contact me directly if you have a concern. Both Kristin and Gabe have moved on to other opportunities at this point, and we’re trying to wade through what was on their plates and get a handle on things. It disturbs me when I see postings on the Grumble when I’ve not been given the opportunity to solve the problems.

The other side of this is also of concern to some of you, namely that DECOR will cease to be a paying market for articles by contributing writers…for the most part, at least. This is purely a business decision, and it’s one that is shared by most trade magazines, especially these days. We all fondly remember the days when DECOR was 200+ pages per month, stuffed with paid advertisers. That’s not how it is right now.

DECOR is no longer owned by a big company with deep pockets, but a group of dedicated employees who have been with DECOR for many years. This doesn’t mean we don’t appreciate the network of contributing writers we’ve helped to develop over the years, and it doesn’t mean that we won’t continue to pay for articles here and there. What it does mean is that the opportunities to write for DECOR and be paid for it will be greatly reduced.

Will we lose some of the writers who have appeared in DECOR recently? Perhaps. But we will continue to produce the best art & framing trade magazine we can for the industry. And we still strongly believe in DECOR…that appearing in DECOR offers you a platform to address professional framers and gallery owners that you can’t get anywhere else.

This is a difficult time in our economy, and things are changing here at DECOR. We’re working hard to make DECOR succeed, and with the support of you and other members of the art and framing community, we are succeeding. But, again, we strongly believe in the product we’re producing and we know that we will continue to publish the No. 1 art and framing trade book in the marketplace.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss any problems or concerns you might have, don’t hesitate to contact me at kfeager@gmail.com

Kim Feager
President/Publisher

 

Hmm, anyone heard anything from anybody yet? Dave? Rob?

 

While checking the profile page for "johnfdtaff", I saw somthing that seemed, . . . well, a bit funny to me:

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0 Friends

johnfdtaff has not made any friends yet

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He did just join to make this post, give him some time, he may make a friend or two....If he pays the people who the magazine owes.