02 Informed


NEC Update


Union finances & membership


Te NEC’s focus and determination on securing the union’s finances and recruiting new members over the last few years has now reaped benefits for the organisation as a whole and has secured the union’s future for years to come. At the NEC in January, NUJ president Tim Dawson reported that the union had a “healthy balance sheet” and following the refurbishment of Headland House the union’s finances were now stronger


than they have been for many years. Te NUJ’s headquarters in London has been valued at more than £10m since the refurbishment and the NUJ has net reserves in excess of £1m. In addition, nearly 200 new members


have joined the NUJ in the first seven weeks of the current financial year. Tis means that the union now has more than 100 new joiners compared to the number of leavers in the same period.


NUJ recognition


In December Penguin Random House threatened to end its collective trade union agreement and push through changes that would erode staff redundancy terms. Following a high-profile public condemnation and push back by the NUJ and Unite, positive talks were held with the company, resulting in a joint commitment to aim for a new collective agreement in the workplace. Staff working at Buzzfeed have submited a request for voluntary trade


union recognition and discussions are ongoing, and a new PR chapel has been formed at the campaigning organisation, Hope not Hate. If you have any suggestions for trade union recognition campaigns or recruitment and organising initiatives then email: recruit@nuj.org.uk


NUJ baby


As ever, the NUJ is first again with our current general secretary being the first woman in post, in any trade union in the UK, to take maternity leave. Michelle’s new arrival is due in March and Irish secretary Seamus Dooley will take up the role of acting general secretary


during Michelle’s absence.


Staffing news


Congratulations to Laura Fagan, who has been appointed as Michelle’s new PA & events administrator, based at Headland House. Ian McGuinness, based in the NUJ’s Dublin office, has been promoted to be the union’s Irish organiser. Andy Smith, previously a member of the NEC, has been appointed as the NUJ’s assistant organiser for newspapers, news agencies and new media. Contacts for all NUJ officials are


available on the dedicated pages of the NUJ website: www.nuj.org.uk/contacts


Tackling post-traumatic stress at work


Te NEC agreed to conduct an all-members survey and to engage with media employers to tackle the growing problems associated with post- traumatic stress at work. Increasing levels of social media and online media work


have been linked to trauma and stress which are oſten traditionally associated with working in the field or in hostile environments. Repeatedly viewing graphic online images can have lasting effects on media workers and symptoms


can include insomnia, nightmares and flashbacks. Tere is a continuing need to raise awareness about mental health and de- stigmatise work-related problems. Te NEC has agreed to take steps to reach out to employers, tackle the


issues industrially and to push media organisations to improve the support on offer. If you want to contact the union’s health and safety commitee email: healthsafety@nuj.org.uk


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