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Welcome your photographers


Natasha Hirst, chair of the Photographers Council, explains how branches can support and involve their lens-based members


– some protesters abused, spat and deliberately coughed over them while they were doing their job. Te NUJ will respond robustly


I


to any atacks on its members and our thanks go to those who keep us informed of incidents. Te union is working closely with the police to make sure our


Invite a photographer member to talk about their work at a meeting.


Action •


Support the NUJ’s #useitpayforit


campaign: www.nuj.org.uk/campaigns/ useitpayforit/


Encourage members to look out for each other when working in public and report any incidents of abuse or obstruction to the union.


• •


was absolutely appalled to hear reports of photographers being made targets while they were covering anti- lockdown demonstrations


photographer members are able to go out and about unhindered during the lockdowns. Te general secretary is a member of the government’s National Commitee for the Safety of Journalists and has been using examples of atacks on members to help draw up an action plan to deal with the harassment of journalists, due to be published at the end of the month. As part of these negotiations and in press statements, Michelle Stanistreet has said journalists cannot be treated like fair game and called for effective deterrents, including consideration of harsher legal penalties, to protect the media. If photographers are abused or see colleagues being abused, they should report the incident to the union. We advise photographers and videographers to always carry an up-to-date press card or IFJ press card and a copy of the police chiefs’ protocol [htps://


www.nuj.org.uk/documents/ national-police-chiefs-council- guidance-on-working-with/]. Where possible, photographers and videographers should try to engage professionally with police officers. Te union will pursue


reports of the use of fake press cards. Non-journalists, including far-right activists, are using fake press cards and posing as press photographers and reporters during demos. NUJ members must only use their card for news gathering. Te Photographers’ Council


exists to represent the views of photographers in the union and can offer advice and put forward policies in their interest. Photographers make up 6.5 per cent per cent of the union’s membership – they have been particularly hit hard by redundancies as newspapers increasingly cut costs by relying on freelances and so-called user-generated content. Te union’s #useitpayforit campaign tells amateur photographers that if an image is good enough to be published or broadcast, it is good enough to be paid for and they should not risk the livelihoods of professional photographers by providing free content. Photographers and videographers


covering sport, the arts, travel and features have badly affected by a downturn in work caused by the pandemic and many are also missing out on government financial support. Branches can play a role in


providing networking opportunities, giving advice on securing new work and by recommending NUJ photographer members for jobs.


RECRUIT


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