Informed 03


Raise subs to save the union from going


the NUJ’s annual income would today be £6.7million. Static rates have been exacerbated by a decline in paying membership of 21.8 % over the last ten years from 28,170 to 22,027. A further financial challenge comes


from the union’s historic pension scheme commitments, and a change in approach from the UK Pension Regulator. Tese are expected to result in the annual cost of this rising from £210,000 to £360,000 next year. Te increase for which the NEC


Six years without a subs increase has leſt the NUJ dangerously vulnerable, warns a paper adopted by the National Executive. Te NEC set a balanced budget at its November meeting, but called on branches to support a motion to April 2020’s Delegate Meeting that would increase subscriptions in two stages. “Most of the NUJ’s running costs


are met by members’ subscriptions,” says Honorary General Treasurer John Barsby. “We have reduced staff from a peak of about 55, to 33 today and significantly increased the income we receive by commercially leting unused parts of Headland House. Without a rise in subs, however, the prospect of a forced merger will become very real. “Our sister union Bectu disappeared


into a larger union a couple of years ago,” he says. “I have spent 50 years fighting for the NUJ, and I won’t stand by now and watch that fate befall our union.” Subscriptions last rose in 2014 and


today the union’s annual income is £4.73million. A paper adopted by the NEC notes that had rates kept pace with inflation over the past decade,


will argue would increase rates to the following monthly rates in 2020: Grade 1 £17 (€20.50), Grade 2 £20.50 (€26.50), and Grade 3 £29 (€35.60) and a further increase in 2021 to Grade 1 £18.70 (€22.50), Grade 2 £22.50 (€31.90), and Grade 3 £32 (€30.20.)


Members earning less than £14,500 (€16,000) per annum would pay £12 (€12.60) a month in 2020. Members earning less than £16,000 (€17,500) per annum would pay £13 (€13.80) a month. Speaking in support of the subs rise, the chair of the union’s finance commitee, Professor Chris Frost praised all that the NUJ had achieved in recent years. “Despite uncomfortable belt-tightening, this has been a period of real achievement for the us. We have achieved recognition in major, established publishers such as SpringerNature, as well as digital employers like Vice. We have consistently taken up the equal pay fight, and with some outstanding successes. And as well as defending scores of individual freelances, we have successfully spearheaded statutory change in Ireland so that the organisation of atypical workers is lawful.” Frost went on to say that he could not imagine a union whose focus was not


JPI bid risk


Te owner of Te Scotsman and Te Yorkshire Post should be willing to invest in journalism rather than pursuing aggressive cost cuting, says the NUJ. Commenting on reports that


Newsquest is the lead bidder for the company, general secretary Michelle Stanistreet said: “In Newsquest takeovers, our members have typically suffered heavy job losses and their pay and conditions have been affected, so we have understandable concerns about the future owner of JPI Media”. “Tat is why we are calling on all


interested bidders as a minimum to declare a moratorium of at least two years on compulsory jobs losses, the honouring of all existing terms and conditions and maintenance of effective collective bargaining arrangements.” Stanistreet offered to sit down and


talk to any new owner about their plans to stabilise and grow the papers for the benefit of their communities.


journalism making a priority of such work.


Since the last Delegate Meeting


recruitment has been a priority for the NUJ. More than 2,500 journalists have joined during that period as well as around 400 students. New chapels have been a recruitment priority, as have freelances who were the focus of a recruitment film shared on social media. Te numbers leaving the union have also fallen – however the monthly lapsing rate is 18% lower than it was four years ago.


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