RECRUITMENT & ORGANISING LOCAL NEwS

n e w s f r o m t h e n a t i o n a l e x e c u t i v eInformed

Journalism: job for a 12 year old?The NEC was warned by Barry Fitzpatrick, NUJ deputy general secretary, that an article by David Montgomery showed just how dangerous his plans were.

The Local world chief executive had written a 2,000-plus essay which painted a vision of newspapers becoming notice boards, where there was no place for sub-editors or photographers.

Barry Fitzpatrick said: “what he appears to be suggesting is that the police, schools, Tesco and other organisations can put their press releases directly into the local paper, without verification or comment. I cannot see that the public would want to pay for a notice board of organisations’ press releases and there are already signs that advertisers are not convinced either.”

He said it was deeply offensive of Montgomery to describe journalism as a ‘medium-grade craft’ which could be done by 12-year-olds.

newsquest moves north-east production to walesMore than 20 journalists’ jobs at York, Bradford and Darlington have been put at risk by plans to move production to a subbing hub 270 miles away in Newport, in February.

The move comes two months after Newsquest moved its production hub in worcester with the loss of 15 jobs, with some of the work transferred to the welsh hub.

Chris Morley, northern and midlands organiser, said it made a mockery of the American-owned newspaper group’s commitment to local journalism.

ISSUE 3 DEC 2013

feu bullying conference

Michelle Stanistreet at the FEU’s Creating without Conflict conference, which launched a survey showing that media and arts workplaces are hotspots for bullying. More than half of those questioned said they had been bullied, harassed or discriminated against at work. Eight in 10 women said their gender was a factor. Only a third of those suffering bullying reported the incidents. For conference round-up and full report http://www.nuj.org.uk/news/arts-and-media-unions-call-for-industry-wide-code-to-tackle/

LOCAL NEwS

Worst year yet for job losses in local papersJob losses in the newspaper sector this past year have been the biggest in memory, the national executive was told.

Barry fitzpatrick, deputy general secretary, outlined the dire situation in his report and was joined by other national organisers who described huge job cuts at Johnston Press, which is making its remaining photographers compulsorily redundant. similar losses were recorded in national newspapers and other regional groups.

Paul holleran, scottish national organiser, said the cuts were creating huge workloads for

those remaining. already, there have been serious cases of stress-related illnesses. the union is negotiating for pay to be linked to the higher workloads.

chris morley, northern and midlands organiser, said 17 editorial staff were due to be axed at Johnston Press in sheffield, including six photographers, and a further 12 in leeds, which has lost a third of its staff in less than a year. Posts are also going at Yorkshire weekly and the halifax courier. the cuts are part of a policy to use copy supplied by readers.

the nec gave contingency

authority to ballot for industrial action across Johnston Press in the uK and ireland.

ed vaizey, minister for culture, communications and creative industries, has agreed to hold a crisis summit on local media with newspaper group managements, media experts and the nuJ in the new year.

the federation of entertainments unions survey showed that bullying in the newspaper sector was “exceptionally high”. michelle stanistreet, general secretary, said: “we will make it a priority to combat bullying in 2014.”

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As the Scottish National Party launched its white paper on independence, which could lead to the creation of a separate nation by 2016, the union has agreed to lobby political parties for a Scottish media commission to be created after the referendum, regardless of the outcome.

the nec endorsed a Dm motion from the scottish executive council which called for the principle of maintaining the BBc as an “impartial, non-political, public service broadcaster, funded from the licence fee”, and for trade union reps to sit on the governing body.

the nuJ has no political preference or allegiance in the referendum debate.

Peter murray, scottish rep on the nec and proposer of the motion, has written a paper The NUJ and the 2014 Scottish independence referendum. he said: “the referendum debate provides the nuJ with a unique opportunity to raise concerns over ownership, regulation diversity, job and working conditions across the press, new media and broadcasting.”

The union continues to attract students and young members with a series of successful conferences in London and Dublin and by supplying speakers to universities and colleges to talk about the union.

they packed headland house for the student and young members’ conference in november where they were welcomed by michelle stanistreet. a range of speakers

including Guardian features writer simon hattenstone, investigative journalist shiv malik, carl roper, tuc national organiser, and others from broadcasting and Pr sectors shared their experience and gave tips on how to get on in journalism, protecting sources and becoming active in a union.

students in Dublin were invited to an event on how to survive in freelance journalism as part of the irish biennial delegate conference.

POLICY

RECRUITMENT AND ORGANISING

chance for change to scottish media

Young members

2 Informed

The NUJ is backing a global campaign by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) to denounce violence against women journalists and demand an end to impunity for these crimes. The IFJ is responding to the numerous cases of women journalists

being threatened, attacked, harassed, raped and killed in the course of their work. Six women journalists have been killed this year.

to mark the 2013 international Day to end impunity, the nuJ sent letters to the three embassies of the countries with the highest

death tolls for all journalists – iraq, Pakistan and russia.

the letters, signed by Jim Boumelha, ifJ president, expressed concern about the lack of accountability for those who carry out acts of violence against journalists; 90 per cent of killings of journalists go unpunished.

Jim Boumelha also headed a delegation of staff from aljazeera media network to the egyptian embassy in london

to deliver a letter signed by michelle stanistreet, nuJ general secretary, aljazeera and the ifJ, demanding the release of mohamed Badr and abdullah al shami who have been detained without charge after covering events in cairo.

INTERNATIONAL

End violence against journalists

NEwS IN BRIEF

Getting skilledTalks between Skills Development Scotland, Skillset and the NUJ have resulted in the union being chosen to provide modern apprenticeships. This is an industry-led framework for the training and development of a new generation of employees capable of using a range of digital media and providing the existing workforce with opportunities to increase their skills and safeguard their employment.

irish Biennial conferenceSeamus Dooley, Irish secretary, reported on a successful biennial delegate conference, Fighting Back: Organising for Success, in Dublin. The NUJ has been involved in a number of events to commemorate the centenary of the 1913 Lock Out and hosted a successful women’s conference.

while it has been a tough year in Ireland on the industrial front, it ended with some good news –the union was able to secure some reversals on plans to restrict the use of Freedom of Information requests.

Barry Fitzpatrick is to stand down as the NUJ’s deputy general secretary and will be leave the union at the end of the year.

michelle stanistreet, who announced the news at the nec meeting, said Barry would be missed for the negotiating expertise he had deployed in the newspaper and agency

sectors during a period of unprecedented change and challenges.

Barry was elected DGs in January 2012. he told the nec: “i have enjoyed immensely the relationship i have had with the activists, lay members and officials. i am enormously proud of the industrial servicing model i have provided. i am also proud of the only pay cut i have negotiated – alan rusbridger, editor of the Guardian, agreed to take a 10 per cent drop in pay. i have been described as a rock, something that you can hold on to, by colleagues, which i think is a good thing.”

the post of the deputy general secretary will be part of a review of the roles of officials in the union, to be carried out by the finance committee. it will report back to the february nec meeting.

The NUJ, in association with the TUC, General Federation of Trade Unions and Federation of Entertainment Unions, runs a range of training courses, some free, others at discount

for NUJ members, to help you get started in your career, progress in your job, learn new skills and become a union rep. See the events calendar at www.nuj.org.uk for

course dates.for training in wales visit http://

nujtrainingwales.org/; for scotland visit http://www.nujscotland.org.uk/training.html and for training for reps in manchester email

nujmanchester@nuj.org.uk. the feu is running Diversifying your Portfolio on 13 December, see http://www.feutraining.org/ for all other courses.

NUJ NEwS

TRAINING

NEwS IN BRIEF

cops ‘n’ snappersEight photographers have taken part in a training event at the Metropolitan Police Training Centre in Gravesend. The volunteers joined a mock riot, with police in riot gear being confronted by a mob throwing bricks, bottles and petrol bombs. The object was to help the police get used to the presence of photographers during such events, so that they will be able to accommodate them during the real thing.

financial news A net surplus of £230,000 was reported up to the end of August, £10,000 more than expected under the union’s recovery plan. However, the union faces a continuing decline in full-paying members. Online joining is proving successful, with six to seven new members joining daily. The union has also been able to rent out space at Headland House which will contribute to its income.

Barry fitzpatrick to stand down as DGs

Professional and trade union training

Informed 3

Changes to the subscriptions structure, reclassification of membership types, plans to tackle bullying and harassment, the safety of journalists, an enhanced membership package for freelances, support for Greek broadcaster ERT and campaigns to support colleagues in Palestine and South Africa were

just some of the subjects selected for motions to the delegate meeting in April by the NEC.

a motion condemned the independent Press standards organisation as being controlled by the publishers and asked the union to lobby for a “truly independent press regulator that puts press freedom first and is independent of politicians,

editors and publishers” and one that sets up an arbitrator for access to cheap justice.

motions are now being discussed for Dm in eastbourne in april. this is the opportunity for all members to have a direct say and influence on union policy and campaigns.

make sure you attend your branch meeting so your voice is heard.

UNION DEMOCRACY

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nuJ informed is published after each national executive council meeting to keep chapel and branch reps informed of key decisions of the union’s elected nec.

any questions or comments can be emailed to campaigns@nuj.org.uk

Press regulation, the lobbying bill and the local audit and accountability bill, which could give the secretary of state powers over the production of council newspapers have all been in the parliamentary in-tray since the last NEC.

John mcDonnell mP, who gave the nuJ’s parliamentary group’s report to the meeting, said it was still important to promote the conscience clause for journalists

to whatever regulator or regulators were created following the passing of the royal charter and the setting up of iPso, the publishers’ organisation.

he said he was also concerned about new threats to the right to demonstrate, which he said were akin to judicial kettling.

the group has been involved in international work, hosting a meeting in the house of commons on press freedom in

iran, supporting early day motions on freedom of movement for Palestinian reporters and to ask the director of public prosecutions and to ensure journalists are able to pursue stories in the public interest without prosecution.

it has set up a meeting with James Purnell, the BBc’s director of strategy & digital, to discuss the renewal of the corporation’s charter, the problem of bullying at the corporation and other issues.

PARLIAMENT

Lobbying against the lobbying bill

The NUJ, lawyers and civil liberties groups will hold a public meeting at Headland House on Tuesday 10 December to discuss state surveillance, counter-terrorism powers and global

security strategies. Speakers include Michelle Stanistreet, Guardian journalist Rob Evans, Tony Bunyan, director of Statewatch, and Matrix Chamber’s Matthew Ryder, who is representing David

Miranda in his legal challenge to the anti-terrorism laws.

A second event, on wednesday 15 January, will inform journalists on the secret courts introduced by the Justice and Security Act 2013,

which will allow civil cases, including serious allegations of UK torture and kidnapping, to be heard behind closed doors. To reserve your place on both events please email sarahk@nuj.org.uk

NEC agreed a motion for DM condemning the banning of press by professional football clubs and called for a campaign for a code of conduct for all clubs.

the motion said: “this Dm is concerned by the recent spate of bannings of journalists or newspapers by professional football clubs for producing stories they do not happen to like. these include the decision by newcastle united to bar the newcastle chronicle, Journal and sunday sun from its press facilities and to refuse to speak to their reporters, the temporary banning of a Daily telegraph reporter by the same club last season and

similar actions by nottingham forest, crawley town, Port vale and rotherham utd.”

the newcastle chronicle published a letter to mike ashley, the owner of newcastle united, on its front page saying: “the club flexed its muscles like some kind of north Korean dictatorship – hitting out at the set of newspapers that have followed the club through thick and thin since their very first game in 1892.”

following a letter from the nuJ, tottenham hotspur football club assured visiting reporters from newcastle they would be welcome to all usual facilities at white hart lane.

RECRUITMENT & ORGANISING

PRESS FREEDOM

spooks, state surveillance and secret courts

red card for soccer managers

Informed 4©

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