UK versions of CBLDF/Hero Initiative?

[Ancient Otter]

Just wondering, has there ever been U.K. versions of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund or the Hero Initiative and are employees of comic publishers covered by British trade unions?

[Emperor]

The Hero Initiative often steps in when comics creators can't pay for essential medical needs and we have the NHS (and other state-run safety nets), for which we should be eternally grateful (and worried that it is under attack by the Coalition). Anything else can probably be addressed on an individual basis:

www.heroinitiative.org/success.asp

The CBLDF is an interesting one, there seems to be less need for it here but also the Americans have the First Amendment which provides a solid freedom of speech defence.

It may be there is a need for a union for British comics creators, but it might be The Comic Book Alliance covers the general bases here and can cover similar territory to the CBLDF and Hero Initiative (and other things), although it doesn't look very lively over there:

www.comicbook.org.uk