Informed 05


Update TUC Women’s Conference


Te aptly timed conference took place immediately before International Women’s Day. Standing ovations, impassioned speeches and solidarity with international women journalists all featured at this year’s conference. An NUJ delegation represented the union last month, where motions on supporting journalists in Palestine, tackling misogyny, and women’s health at work were passed. Te NUJ motion outlined desperate conditions that journalists are working under in Gaza – particularly women journalists who, along with facing assaults on their freedom to report, have been confronted with the most impossible living conditions and denied access to the basics of water, food and electricity with their homes and workplaces destroyed. Te motion called on “the TUC


Women’s Commitee to send a message of solidarity to women journalists, condemn the atrocities breaching international law in Gaza and the Westbank and back the International Federation of Journalist’s (IFJ’s) calls for an independent investigation into all killings and atacks on journalists.” It was passed unanimously. Te theme of this year’s conference was ‘Resist, Persist, Deliver,’ and it took place against a backdrop of much recent right-wing


Lyra McKee symposium


Laura Davison, NUJ general secretary, joined panellists on 28 March from 7-9pm at an in-person Belfast event focused on AI and journalism. Hosted by the union’s Belfast and District Branch, the panel explored whether AI presents threats or opportunities and atendees are invited to ask questions on the night. Other speakers


included: Ciaran O’Connor, senior analyst at the Institute of Strategic Dialogue; Stiofan Bruce, a media student studying journalism at Belfast Metropolitan College; and Anne Hailes, writer, broadcaster and chair of the Belfast and District branch. Te event formed part of the Imagine! Festival with workshops, poetry performances, art and films.


misogynist rhetoric. Kate Bell, TUC assistant general secretary, highlighted the global challenges facing women and said, “It’s never been more important for women to be in a union, to stand up and tackle the far right and to win progress at work and in our communities, not just for women but for everyone who’s been let down by years of austerity politics and unchecked inequality.” A composite calling for strengthened employment rights for women was seconded by the NUJ and passed unanimously. It referred to the difficulties that freelance workers face with wage disparity, and inadequate sick pay and


maternity leave. We need improved methods of data collation by government on freelance work to ensure data on pay gaps and the working conditions of freelances can be beter addressed. Commenting ahead of International


Women’s Day on 8 March, Laura Davison, NUJ general secretary, said she was “proud of the NUJ’s campaigning on the gender pay gap and journalists’ safety, and these will continue as priorities.” Tis year’s theme focused on imagining a gender equal world free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination. A world that’s diverse, equitable, and inclusive.” Te NUJ’s Equality council


recognised the important role media professionals play in shaping public discourse and opinion.


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