Payday Seeks Alabama-Based Reporter to Cover Amazon Union Vote in Bessemer

With the union election at Amazon in Alabama heating up, Payday is searching for an Alabama-based freelancer to provide on-the-ground reporting from Birmingham, Alabama. 

We are searching for someone based in Northern Alabama who understands people from a multicultural background. This someone will ideally live in Northern Alabama and can talk to workers from a variety of backgrounds in ways that Payday can’t. 

Experience in labor reporting isn’t needed as much as having a willingness to learn and adapt under a complex changing environment. We are interested in both veteran reporters, who can apply new insights, and rookie reporters trying to learn the labor beat. 

This is an excellent opportunity for collaboration, mentorship, and even co-bylines with Payday’s veteran team lead by Mike Elk, who has spent more a decade covering tough union fights in the South. So, we encourage folks of all backgrounds to apply.

Unlike other outlets that pay people freelance rates based on a per-word or per-project basis, we believe in paying people by an hourly rate or day rate. We can pay a minimum of $32 an hour or $300-a-day depending on the intensity of the project. We can also offer flexible hours if folks wanna pick up additional freelance hours. 

We encourage candidates from communities of color to apply for this assignment. Reporting will be covering the Amazon union election where the majority of the workforce comes from communities of color. 

Please send a résumé, links to three examples of writing, and two references to [email protected]. We are looking for someone who can start reporting on-the-ground in Alabama immediately so no need to write a fancy cover letter.