STUC Local news vital for unions’ work


Reports by Conrad Landin


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CUTS to local news threaten trade unions’ ability to defend public services, the Scottish TUC Congress heard. Delegates at the Congress in Dundee unanimously backed an NUJ motion calling for the Scottish Parliament to invest in local journalism. It warned that STV’s decision to axe its evening news bulletin broadcast from Aberdeen would mean “reduced coverage of news in the north and north-east of Scotland”. Supporting the motion,


Local journalism has ensured cuts to fire services have not been forced through without challenge


Colin Brown Fire Brigades Union Scotland


University and College Union Scotland secretary Mary Senior said local journalists played a ‘pivotal role’ in holding institutions to account. She singled out the work of reporters on the Courier, who exposed mismanagement at the University of Dundee. “The local news coverage of STV and BBC has brought the issues facing workers and learners into people’s living rooms.


forced through without widespread challenge.” NUJ delegates also won backing to challenge the Scottish Government to beef up protections for freelancers. Ministers have said bodies


“At a time when


misinformation and disinformation circulate all too readily – pushed by billionaire tech brothers – a vibrant free press is fundamental to our democracy and for social cohesion,” she said. “And let’s recognise our local and regional news output supports a thriving national media output and its journalism.” Fire Brigades Union


Scotland delegate Colin Brown said his union had only been able to defeat proposed cuts to the fire stations “due to the engagement of local media


outlets such as STV”. He said the “local knowledge and local engagement” of reporters “living and working in the same local communities” had been key, adding: “In a time of increasingly centralised control of media platforms… the fight to protect local journalism in local communities is our fight. “The understanding, engagement and reach of local journalism and local coverage of FBU campaigns have repeatedly ensured cuts to fire services have not been


Law used ‘as a weapon’ in Zimbabwe


A ZIMBABWEAN journalist fleeing persecution attended the Scottish TUC Congress to raise awareness of press censorship. Blessed Mhlanga spoke about how


Emerson Mnangagwa’s government used “the law as a weapon” to “silence opponents and terrorize citizens not through overt violence but through a captured judiciary”. He was imprisoned without trial for 73 days


last year after interviewing a war veteran critical of the government. Zimbabwean information minister Zhemu Soda condemned Mhlanga for “peddling a distorted narrative that flies in the face of reality” and said “legal frameworks designed to protect our hard-won sovereignty” were under threat of being undermined through “foreign platforms”. This was interpreted by human rights


Fighting fake news


SCOTTISH TRADE unions have resolved to stamp out far-right fake news through media literacy education. An NUJ motion passed at


the Scottish TUC’s Congress called for union branches, trades councils and campaign groups to be trained to


6 | theJournalist


combat disinformation and better communicate anti-racist activity. NUJ delegate and national


executive council member Layla-Roxanne Hill (pictured right) said: “Democracies are at risk when violence is used as a political tool to promote


defenders as a threat to persecute Mhlanga for speaking out. Mhlanga said: “I was flying back and, when I got into South Africa to connect to Zimbabwe, I got calls from my union in Zimbabwe, telling me not to come home because things would be very bad for me. It’s this thing of punishing people without due process that scares me. They can just abduct you, and you disappear.”


fear and hate. But the people who commit targeted violence and violent extremism are also our neighbours, friends, colleagues, family members and trade union members.” Congress called on the


general council to work with the NUJ to develop a media literacy strategy, training and resources. It also called for


work with education unions to ensure media literacy is embedded in education. “The problem runs deeper


than stopping teenagers from using social networks or tightening fact-checking procedures,” Hill added. “Media literacy is a crucial


skill for all citizens, irrespective of their age, social, cultural or economic background.”


getting public funding, including publishers and festivals that receive money from Creative Scotland, should adopt ‘fair work’ practices, which include paying the living wage and ensuring an ‘effective voice’ for workers. However, this guidance is routinely ignored, and the NUJ motion called for it to become statutory. “If we get pay, terms and


conditions up in publicly funded organisations, that will drive them up for freelance work in the private sector too,” NUJ delegate Jim Symons said. “Staff have a key role too in ensuring that freelance pay, terms and conditions are included in their negotiations.”


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