06 Informed Round-up Black Workers’ Conference


Te NUJ’s motion calling for ethical reporting to counter racist narratives passed unanimously at the TUC Black Workers’ Conference 2026. Te NUJ’s delegation at the conference, held in Bournemouth from 24 to 26 April, was Roger McKenzie, Black Members’ Council (BMC) co-chair, and Saadeya Shamsuddin, BMC treasurer. Shamsuddin introduced the union’s motion, noting the responsibility of the media to counter online disinformation pushed by neo-fascist groups. “Parts of our political and media landscape have made anti-immigration, anti-Muslim and anti-Black rhetoric not just acceptable, but mainstream,” said Shamsuddin. “We need journalism with integrity.” Te NUJ’s motion called on the TUC


to promote the union’s race reporting guidelines and organise a national trade union-led march against the far right, building on the momentum generated by the Together Alliance demonstration on 28 March. Te importance of the NUJ’s work was highlighted repeatedly over the three- day conference. During a debate on the rise in racist language, McKenzie argued that journalists must be at the forefront of calling out racism in the media, again highlighting the union’s race reporting guidelines and Code of Conduct.


Te NUJ also seconded a Fire Brigades Union motion on media reporting standards. “I’ve been struck by how many delegates have spoken about the racism they are not just observing, but experiencing,” said Shamsuddin, who criticised the lack of diversity in senior editorial positions, explaining that overwhelmingly white leadership in newsrooms influences how stories are framed and whose perspectives are prioritised. “Tis is not about a few bad headlines or individual failings. Tis is systemic racism.” Shamsuddin pointed to the failure to


TUC Cymru Congress 2026


Te NUJ’s motion to TUC Cymru Congress similarly highlighted journalism’s role in countering the far right. David Nicholson, NUJ Welsh


Executive Council (WEC) co-chair, moved the union’s call for strengthened public interest journalism to address the information deficit in Welsh communities that allows the far right to


spread division and disinformation. “Te longstanding crisis in the Welsh media has not gone away. Tere are continued redundancies across the media in Wales, with a further 10-15% cuts in journalism proposed by the BBC,” said Nicholson. “Tere are many small ways in which the fragile flower of public interest journalism can be nurtured in Wales.”


enforce Clause 12 of the IPSO Editors’ Code of Practice, which addresses discrimination complaints. Between 2014 and 2023, IPSO upheld just three complaints - none of which related to racial discrimination. Te motion, which carried unanimously, instructed the TUC to challenge the lack of enforcement of Clause 12 and lobby government for strengthened regulation while respecting freedom of expression. Te conference closed with support


from unions to organise, challenge and build a stronger united movement against the far-right.


Te motion instructed the TUC


to lobby the new Welsh government to enact the recommendations from the “Of and For Wales” report in full, with the NUJ calling for a meeting with Heledd Fychan MS, culture, media and sport cabinet minister, to “put manifesto pledges into action and provide public money to support the sector.”


Te motion passed while Nicholson


was re-elected to the TUC Cymru General Council for the next two years.


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