Informed NEWS FROM THE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE issue 43 June 2023 DM 2023


An action-packed weekend set the NUJ’s agenda, celebrated the union’s victories and paid tribute to those we have lost


Delegate Meeting 2023 opened with a minute’s silence for journalists killed in 2022 and this year. Delegates held cards, each with the name of one of the 73 journalists who lost their lives while doing their job. Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ general


secretary, said the union’s tribute included a commitment to campaign for the right of journalists everywhere to hold the powerful to account without fear of persecution. Te previous DM was held online because of the pandemic, so geting together in London at the TUC’s Congress centre was a cause for celebration, as was a taking stock of the union’s huge successes during the past two years. Michelle Stanistreet told conference


there had been “plenty of victories and achievements that exemplify the NUJ’s vim and vigour – the organising work,


Also in this issue:


BBC Strikes Page 04


the recruitment, the industrial batles with many notable victories and definite collective gains”. She paid tribute to the 1,200 journalists involved in the strike at Reach, which inspired a new generation of activists and resulted in significant pay rises for the lowest paid. Batles continue there with yet more redundancies at the newspaper group. Michelle saluted the action at the BBC in England and Northern Ireland where members have been fighting to stop cuts in local radio which undermine the corporation’s service to local communities. From picket line to court room, Michelle described one victory featuring one the three newly awarded Members of Honour, Chris Mullin (see page 10) when the union’s successful case allowed him to protect his source. Delegates heard the union had also made legal challenges to


DM


Round-up Page 06


the government’s Snooper’s Charter, changes to the Official Secrets Act which would make journalists spies and on hostile trade union legislation. Te general secretary said that without a “a secure, financially confident union” none of this industrial, legal and campaigning work could continue. Tis set the scene for a lively debate on a national executive council (NEC) motion calling for a subscriptions’ increase of about 5 per cent (depending on salary) for this year and next. Some delegates argued that low-paid media workers would struggle to afford an increase. But Chris Frost, NEC finance commitee member, argued that, unpalatable as it may be, the union needed the rise to fulfil its functions. Another motion brought in a discount for under-25s. Te new rates. It was a packed weekend. John McDonnell, secretary of the NUJ’s Parliamentary Group, spoke about the government’s threats to journalists’ rights and press freedom, the group’s support of the union’s journalists’ safety work and its international efforts. He had visited Julian Assange in Belmarsh prison and atended Reach and BBC picket lines. Dominique Davies, the niece of Dom


Phillips, the environment journalist killed with his colleague Bruno Pereira in Brazil, also spoke (see page 12) and there was an exhibition in memory of the men at DM. Te meeting also gave a sad goodbye to others from the union who had died since the previous DM.


Te main business of DM – determining


policy and creating campaigns to increase diversity in the media, improve media workers’ pay, especially freelance rates, protect quality journalism, keep journalists safe, safeguard the industry against the threat of AI, and show international solidarity – succeeded in seting out the future work of the NUJ. A round-up of conference decisions starts on page six.


DM Diary Page 11


Jess Hurd


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12