The NUJ in the newsStaff at the Telegraph returned after Christmas with an extra present – a pay rise and bonus won by the NUJ. Staff received a £500 bonus and a 1.5 per cent pay rise. Full story here
Meanwhile at the BBC, the NUJ branch has secured pay rises for six members of staff who had been historically underpaid for the jobs. The victory may lead to more cases of staff who are acting up or underpaid for their job winning pay rises. More here
About 30 NUJ activists met in central London on 17 October. The meeting was timely, coming as it was in the run-up to protests against the BNP’s Nick Griffin appearing on Question Time and when media workers are fighting for jobs and quali
During the day. activists discussed strategies for defending jobs and quality in the media, solidarity work, the war in Afghanistan, fascism in the media and the coming ADM.
Ballot papers have now been issued for the election of editor of the Journalist and NUJ Left is urging members to vote for Richard Simcox.
Richard is a first-class journalist and, crucially, a committed trade unionist – the essential mix to be the next editor of our union’s magazine at what is certain to be a challenging time for journalists and journalism.
Journalists at the Observer will ballot for industrial action in the event of any compulsory redundancies, the chapel has pledged.
Joint father of the newly-merged Guardian and Observer chapel, Brian Williams, told tonight’s hugely-successful Stand Up for the Observer public meeting that NUJ members would fight to save jobs at the world’s oldest Sunday newspaper.
By Dave Crouch
More than 100 trade unionists packed into the London Welsh Centre on Thursday night to hear the NUJ’s general secretary Jeremy Dear and a host of leading union activists call for a powerful protest in Brighton next weekend at Labour party conference.
Fresh from the TUC in Liverpool, Jeremy spoke about the government’s lack of political will – unemployment can be beaten, but it means a change of priorities from the banks to working people, he said.
NUJ treasurer and veteran activist Anita Halpin received the TUC gold badge in honour of her services to the union movement as she stepped down from the TUC’s general council.
Accepting the prestigious award on the last day of congress, the annual gathering of trade unionists, she paid tribute to her husband, Kevin, who she described as “a thorn in the side of the bosses”.
The decision not to prosecute a BBC researcher who went undercover to expose the abuse of older people is a victory for investigative journalism.
NUJ member Arifa Farooq, who used her sister’s name to apply for jobs, helped to uncover malpractice by companies caring for elderly people at home.
There has never been a greater need for a union that connects with the rising mood of militancy around the country and fights to defend every job.
That’s why NUJ Left is asking for your vote. All our candidates pledge to campaign for strategies based on the most effective and strident action – official or unofficial – to defend jobs, pay, conditions and quality journalism.
Support for six Gambian journalists is now more important than ever as they face two years in jail following their convictions for sedition.
The NUJ has been campaigning against this attack on press freedom alongside the International Federation of Journalists, the TUC and Amnesty International.
by Chris Youett
The NUJ has updated its policy on reporting the far right following the election of two BNP candidates to the European parliament.
Speaking at a conference held at the historic Mechanics Institute in Manchester, NUJ general secretary Jeremy Dear said now the BNP has two Euro MPs, the need for quality journalism and ethical reporting to expose wrongdoing by the BNP and other far right organisation was more vital than ever.