The NUJ’s improving financial health and a new earnings-based system of subscriptions were among issues discussed at the delegate meeting in Southport. Other important for debate topics also included job cuts and pressure on editorial standards
Campaign against low pay top of the agenda
he NUJ will campaign for all members to be paid at least the national living wage after delegates to the biennial delegate conference heard how “increasingly professional, dedicated and university educated journalists are being penalised for their willingness to work long hours in the dedication to their craft”.
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“It is a scandal that the bosses, encouraged by the overwhelming political creed of austerity, think they can get away with paying journalists as little as they can get away with,” said Paul Scott, who represents Wales on the national executive.
Delegates instructed the national executive to campaign for all members to be paid at least the appropriate living wage on entry to any job. The conference was told that in 2000, Trinity Mirror employed 13,000 total staff and had £1 billion turnover. By 2014, it had 4,368 staff and revenue of £636 million, meaning revenue to employees worked out at £80,620 in 2000 and £145,673 in 2014 – an 80 per cent increase of cash to staff in 14 years.
In 2001, Johnston Press had 5,522 employees and £292m revenue. By 2014 it was 3,242 employees and revenue of £265.9 million. Revenue to employees was therefore £52,910 in 2001 but £82,017 in 2014, a 55 per cent increase.
At Newsquest, there were 8,470 employees in 2001 and £568m turnover and in 2014 this was 3,997 and £279 million respectively. At Newsquest, there were 8,470 employees in 2001, and £568 million turnover. In 2014 this was reduced to 3,997 people with turnover of £279 million. Laura Davison, NUJ national organizer for newspapers, said many members were on pitiful wages, suffering many years of pay freezes, with members in south London having to strike for 10 days to win the Living Wage for young colleagues. “It’s the same on the nationals,” she said. “Members on Express papers have not had a pay rise for almost a decade. The conditions are so poor people are voting with their feet and leaving the industry for better-paid and family friendly hours.”
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elegates heard that the financial recovery of the union has continued and that in the financial year ending September 2015, the union had net current assets of £2 million. Figures for the first two months of the year showed an actual surplus of £120,000 compared to a budget expectation of £21,000. Results from
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ew members of the NUJ will pay subscriptions based
on what they are paid, conference decided, although
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existing members can continue to have their union payments based on their current industrial sectors. Barry McCall, chair of the
the first four months have brought our net assets to almost £2.4 million. John Barsby, honoury treasurer (pictured), said: “A significant proportion of the figures resulted from sensible financial controls and the collective effort of budget holders to spend money wisely.”
With finances in a healthier state, New subscriptions system will be based on earnings
national executive council’s finance committee, said that it was no longer possible to assume that journalists working in one sector earned
more than those working in another. Those against the new system argued that while there was a need to change
the union’s subscription system, the proposed earnings-based alternative would also unfair be as it stood.
Many members were on pitiful wages, suffering many years of pay freezes
FINANCES BEING BUILT ON SOLID GROUND
conference decided that one per cent of contributions should be split between the NUJ’s charities, the George Viner Memorial Foundation, which awards bursaries to BAME students, and NUJ Extra, the union’s hardship fund. The union is currently refurbishing its headquarters to enhance the value and increase its rental potential.
PHOTOGRAPHS BY PAUL HERRMANN
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