Branch September 2020


Welcome to the September edition of NUJ Branch. Michelle Stanistreet, general secretary, reports on the virtual TUC Congress, commends members at Bullivant for their principled action and looks at the NUJ’s campaigns for this autumn.


prized is vital, as we work to stave off cuts and job losses in workplaces at the same time as stepping up building support for our News Recovery Plan to reboot and revitalise our industry. Striking NUJ members at Bullivant


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have been doing just that – rightly garnering support and solidarity from across the trade union movement in their inspiring fight for editorial standards and fair treatment at work, a dispute that has also served to highlight the need to fight for beter pay and support for local newspapers. Reconfiguring the economy and society in a way that strengthens our vital public services – of which journalism is part – was a recurrent feature in debates and motions passed at TUC Congress this week. It was Congress but not as we know it. Tis was the first to take place virtually, with thousands of trade unionists tuning in to the livestreamed sessions from their homes. With remarkably few technological glitches, TUC business ran smoothly. Te NUJ finance commitee will meet at the end of this month and discuss ways in which we could hold our own virtual DM, having learned lessons from Congress and from other unions such as the education union NEU which has developed a platform to allow for weighted voting alongside a video platform. We will update branches and


nsuring that the so-called “new normal” is one where the role of journalism in our communities and democracy is supported and


tabling bodies as soon as we can. In nominating me onto the TUC


Executive Commitee, Frances O’Grady paid tribute to the role of journalists in our democracy and the need for the movement to collectively see off the threats to journalism – including political rhetoric, hostile public discourse and physical threats and intimidation taking place.


Te NUJ’s motions were among those passed unanimously in an extended session of the General Council – commiting the TUC to supporting our News Recovery Plan and action to make the tech giants pay their way, aſter years of benefiting from editorial content without investing in it. We’re also working with the International Federation of Journalists and sister affiliates to collectively create a global shiſt in the political will necessary to achieve this, through a digital services tax or levy that creates investment into frontline public interest journalism and news. Our other important motion was on


workers’ rights – on the need to reform UK trade union legislation that allows union-busting and the exploitation of loopholes that facilitate companies thwarting efforts by workers to gain recognition and collective bargaining rights with the union of their choice. Our recent experiences with the British Association of Journalists (BAJ) and its secret deal with Iran International, to scupper the recognition application made by the NUJ on behalf of our 100-plus-strong chapel brought this into sharp relief. Te process with the


Central Arbitration Commitee (CAC) on our application continues, with ever more bizarre twists and turns – including the company providing evidence to the CAC of a second secret deal struck with BAJ, aſter it publicly withdrew from its recognition deal with immediate effect. More surreally, BAJ deny there is a deal in place. Meanwhile an entirely avoidable redundancy process was put in place, designed in our view, to target and remove two of our chapel reps. Te need for real trade union recognition and a voice at work for NUJ members there could not be clearer. Other key campaigns this autumn include building the strongest possible support for public service broadcasting, not least to see off the growing anti-BBC rhetoric. We will be launching a major new campaign to support freelances and the self-employed, and the need for reform of employment rights and tax treatment. Branches will be vital in this work and our campaigns team will be in touch with toolkits and suggestions of how you can help lead these initiatives


In Solidarity,


Michelle Stanistreet


NUJ


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