Informed 09


so the media could cover democratic institutions and reflect Scotish culture. Siobhán Holliman, Irish Executive Council, said the Irish government needed to make the recommendations of the Future of Media Commission a reality and said there was concern the recommendation on public service broadcasting, which desperately needs funding, had been put back.


Government policies A raſt of government bills and legislation were puting in danger journalists’ rights, delegates heard. Natasha Hirst, for the NEC, called the National Security Bill a hostile atack on journalism and said the introduction of a public interest defence was vital. Christina Zaba, of the New Media Industrial Council, said the Online Safety Bill would compromise journalists’ end- to-end-encryption of messages. A Black Members’ Council motion, amended by South Yorkshire branch, urged the NUJ to oppose the “terrible anti-refugee bill” and plans to deport refugees to Rwanda. Te union will work with its


Parliamentary Group to oppose these laws, and organisations such the Refugee Council to speak out against abuses of basic human rights.


A Continental European Council motion calling for a campaign to persuade politicians to defeat the UK’s Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) bill, which may put many British workers’ rights at risk, was carried.


Recruitment and retention Te NUJ will create a recruitment working group following a motion from London Independent Broadcasting and New Media branch. It will include representation from areas where increases in remote working are making traditional approaches to recruitment and organisation more difficult. Te union will also fund research into the characteristics of the estimated 180,000 media workers in the UK to help with recruitment strategies.


Ireland Delegates voted on motions about bogus self-employment, using money saved by zero-rated VAT on newspapers to support journalists, and to back the recommendations of the High Level Working Group on Collective Bargaining. Jim Aughney from Dublin branch said the savings on VAT were going into the companies’ pockets rather than journalism.


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