Wales TUC


Wales TUC backs union’s aims to rebuild journalism in the nation


THE NUJ gained support for its campaigns to rebuild journalism in Wales and against Channel 4 privatisation at the Wales Trade Union Congress, held in Llandudno in May. The trade union movement supported the NUJ and its


work with the Welsh government’s working party on public interest journalism. Wales’ executive council member David


Nicholson told congress about the tripartite working group, which will make recommendations later this year to media and culture minister Dawn Bowden. The group was formed after the media


recovery plan for Wales was drawn up in the wake of Covid-19. “The NUJ has been campaigning for a long time about the declining and weak media landscape in Wales. The working group is looking at radical solutions,” Nicholson said. Delegates also agreed to fight the privatisation of Channel 4


after an emergency motion moved by the NUJ. Nicholson told congress that the Tory bid to privatise the public-service broadcaster was motivated by “spite and an overwhelming urge to further enrich the super-rich”.


He said: “Westminster media minister Nadine Dorries had


lied repeatedly to try to justify the sell-off, claiming almost all responses to a consultation on Channel 4’s future were in favour of privatisation when 96 per cent were in fact against.” Dorries had also said that investment in broadcasting rival Channel 5 increased after it was “privatised, but channel 5 has never been publicly owned”, he added. Equity’s Simon Curtis said the logic of


privatisation was “censorship through the profit motive”, noting it would restrict the


range of voices heard in the broadcast media. An economic study by accountancy group EY found if the publisher broadcaster model and


public service obligations were removed from Channel 4, £2.1 billion could be slashed from the supply chain over a


10-year period and there would be 2,400 fewer jobs each year. Congress agreed that its general council would work with unions and the creative industry in Wales to campaign against the privatisation of Channel 4. The NUJ also backed and amended a motion from broadcasting union Bectu condemning the two-year BBC licence fee freeze.


Minister promises to support NUJ’s work The NUJ spoke about its


DAWN BOWDEN, the Welsh culture and media minister, pledged continued support for the work of the NUJ in improving journalism in Wales at a fringe meeting at the conference.


work on the tripartite working party on public interest journalism in Wales set up by Bowden. She said the Welsh government had given the group £100,000 this year.


Nicholson is elected to general council


THE NUJ’S David Nicholson was elected to the Wales TUC general council for the next two years. Nicholson is a freelance journalist and a member of the


NUJ’s Wales’ executive council and of its national executive council. He said: “It is an honour to have been elected to the general


council at the Wales TUC and to represent our union and members in Wales. The Welsh government works closely with the trade union movement and I will ensure that our union plays a full part in the vital work of the Wales TUC.” Nicholson has worked for trade unions, local government and the charity sector, as well as writing for newspapers and works at the Caerphilly Observer as a reporter for three days a week.


He is a founding member of CommsCymru, a network for communications professionals in public services in Wales


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The meeting heard that the public interest journalism working party was looking at journalism in Wales as a public service and creating a more diverse pool of people coming into profession.


UNIONS TO HELP SET UP BROADCAST BODY As part of a deal with Plaid Cymru, the Welsh Government is setting up a shadow broadcast authority for Wales. The Federation of Entertainment Unions in Wales has been invited to sit on the body to set up the broadcasting authority and will be represented by Carwyn Donovan from Bectu.


The meeting was staged by the NUJ and other cultural industry unions in Wales. Welsh TUC general secretary


Shav Taj thanked Bowden for state support for freelances during the pandemic.


CONCERN OVER WELSH SERVICE CASH SHIFT The NUJ’s Welsh Executive Council has written to media minister Dawn Bowden expressing concern about a £100,000 budget cut by the Books Council of Wales to Welsh-language magazine Golwg 360. The union has also complained that the £100,000 has been given to Newsquest for a rival Welsh language service.


Roy Jones gets warm welcome


Veteran journalist and NUJ member Roy


Jones delighted friends when he appeared at the Wales TUC. Jones, 92, been experiencing ill health but made the short journey along the coast from his home in Rhos-on-Sea. “It was brilliant to see Roy on such good form,” said David Nicholson, Wales TUC executive council member. “He insisted on coming along to the Morning Star


fringe meeting and his was the first hand up to ask questions and explain he was born a few months after the paper was founded in 1930.” Jones plans to resurrect the North Wales coastal branch and continue as an NUJ activist.


inbrief... LAW ON FAIR WORK GETS NEARER The Social Partnership and Public Procurement Bill was laid before the Senedd in June. The proposed law will establish a statutory social partnership council including unions and create duties on public bodies, promote fair work and create a duty for socially responsible public purchasing. This follows pressure from unions on the Welsh Government for fair work laws going back four years.


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