N U J - National Union of Journalists

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N U J - National Union of Journalists
U J Branch
                                                                                                      July2021

          N
Following Delegate Meeting, the union has a full work
programme ahead and branches can play a full role in its
plan for a vigorous recruitment drive and participate in its
campaigns.

T
               he messages of racist          weeks and months. Part of that work
               hate sent via social media     will also be exerting pressure on the
               to three black English         government to make the tech giants,
               footballers were beyond        which make billions from the very
               disgusting – fortunately       same platforms where these threats and
many others took to the same platforms        abuse are found, remove this material
to pay tribute and offer solidarity to        as soon as it appears, or else receive
Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and             punitive fines.
Bukayo Saka.                                    In this month’s NUJ Branch, former        proposal can be seen only as an
  Many journalists can sympathise from        George Viner Memorial Fund scholar          ideological attack on the public service
their own experience of being the target      Nabil Mehdinejad explains how               broadcaster. In the government’s own
of abuse from people all too often hiding     his bursary from the NUJ charity            terms it has successfully fulfilled its
under the cowardly cloak of anonymity.        enabled him to take a journalism MA         remit to show innovative programmes
A recent survey of more than 900              at City University and go on to make        and champion unheard voices. And
journalists carried out in 125 counties       documentary videos shortlisted for          Channel 4 News’ mantelpiece is groaning
by Unesco found nearly three-quarters         awards. The fund was set up to broaden      with awards. Leeds branch, where the
of female journalists had experienced         the diversity of journalists working in     station has its headquarters, has already
online hostility of some sort, while a        the British and Irish media and has been    started to contact local MPs, mayors
quarter had been threatened with sexual       the backbone of the NUJ’s work to put       and trade councils. C4 has a base in
violence and death.                           its collective commitment to diversity      Bristol and also Glasgow, which has a
  Filipina journalist Maria Ressa was         and representation into practice. And it    thriving indie production sector. C4 as
receiving 90 hate messages an hour on         remains vital work                          a publisher/broadcaster has invested
Facebook alone and Ghada Oueiss, an             Latest figures from the National          in hundreds of these companies and
Al Jazeera Arabic presenter, was getting      Council for the Training of Journalists     has acted as a catalyst to the creative
at least one death threat every day she       show that our newsrooms comprise 92         sector – find out more about how we can
was on air. The UN report, The Chilling,      per cent journalists from white ethnic      collectively do battle to secure its future
said the intent is to “belittle, humiliate,   groups. So much more needs to be done       on page 5.
shame, induce fear, silence and               to encourage journalism students from         Global press freedom was a major DM
discredit” women and to chill their active    a greater range of backgrounds. Nabil       topic and the shocking shooting of Dutch
participation in debate. The NUJ’s survey     told NUJ Branch that when he started        investigative journalist Peter R de Vries,
of members elicited a similar response.       his course he was immediately realised      the reports of intimidation of journalists
  Patricia Devlin, who the union has          how few students did not share his          in India, Belarus and Afghanistan show
supported following numerous online           background and was even told that he        just how important it is to show solidarity
death threats and vile abuse, will be         sounded like Ali G. But he soon proved he   with sister unions in these countries.
sharing her experience with a meeting of      could prosper and believes he can offer     This month’s issue provides a plan for
the government’s National Committee           a different perspective when covering       branches to organise their efforts.
for the Safety of Journalists this month,     stories. The deadline for this year’s
alongside three other journalists in a        applications to the fund is Monday 19       In Solidarity
session I’ll be facilitating. The NUJ’s is    July, so if you know someone who would
also part of a sub-committee driving          benefit, make sure they apply now.
forward the committee’s action plan,            Branches are being encouraged to
so members will be hearing more               get involved in the union’s Hands Off
about this important work in the coming       Channel 4 campaign. The government’s        Michelle Stanistreet
N U J - National Union of Journalists
N C H                                                                                                                                  02
             BRA

Dates for your
calendar
                     ificant anniversaries                                                                                                          m Day is
Use the union’s sign                         cs,
                                                                                                                        World Press Freedo

    da tes to provide id eas for meeting topi                                                                         on Tuesday 3 May. It
                                                                                                                                                 is a time to
and                                                                                                                                               s, editors,
                     se guest speakers                                                                                think about journalist
debates and to choo                           the issue. For 10
                                                                                                                      photographers and
                                                                                                                                               publishers who
                                                          their respo    ns   es  to                                                            attacked and
                                                                                                htt  ps  ://          are being harassed,
2021                                                      ways to tak     e ac  tio  n, see   :
                                                                                                       ws/             killed worldwide. Ch
                                                                                                                                                 oose a country
                l ho st   the   26   th  UN                           wo   me   n.o   rg /e   n/  ne                                               is under attack
The UK      wil                                           ww w.un                                                      where press freedom
          te   Ch  an  ge   Co  nfe   rence of the                 s/ 20   20   /1  1/  co  mp    ilation-                                         eaker.
Clima                                                      storie                                                      and find a relevant sp
         es   (CO  P2  6)   in Gla   sgow from                      cti on  -to  -he  lp- en    d-violence-                                        /
Parti                                                      take-a                                                      https://ww w.ifj.org
             ve mb   er.  Ma   ke the topic of                     st- wo   me   n                                                            Aw    areness Week
1-1   2 No                                                 again                                                           Mental Health
       mo   nth   pro  mo    tin  g green unions                                                                                            Ma  y. Th  e NUJ’s
the                                                                                                                     is from 13 to 20
                                  mpaigning for             20   22
 and branches and ca                                                                                                    Disabled Memb       ers ’ Co  un  cil and
                                   at the climate                                          en’s Day is
 local policies to comb                                     International Wom                                           Health and Sa    fet y Co   mm     ittee say
                                                                                           st year NUJ
 emergency.                                                 Tuesday 8 March. La                                          reports of me   mb   ers  ex  pe  riencing
                            Da   y to   En   d                                        ou t wh    y  the   NU   J
    International                                           women spok         e ab
                                                                                                                         mental distress at wo
                                                                                                                                                     rk are
                                      against                                               m. Invite one
  Impunity for Crimes                                        was important to the                                        increasing.   Se t up  a  bra nch wellbeing
                        Tu    esd   ay   2 No  ve mber.                           or  ask  on    e  of  yo ur
  Journalists        is                                      of them alo     ng
                                                                                                                          session with NUJ Tr
                                                                                                                                                   aining at
                                   s a week are                                                cussion on why
  About two journalist                                       members to lead a dis                                        nujtrain  ing @n   uj. org  .uk and go to
                                    bu  t the  re will                                      in   the    media…
   killed doing      the   ir job                            women      ne  ed   a  vo ice                                                           rces https://
                                             uti on                                       htt    ps  ://  ww w.           the website for resou
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                                           . Link up                                      ce/    int  ernational-         ww w.nuj.org.uk/re
               y  nin e in   10   ca  ses
                                                             nuj.o   rg. uk  /re   so  ur                                                             tml
   in nearl
                                       Fe  deration                                       1.h    tm   l                    health-week-2021.h
                 Int ern   ati on   al                        wome    n-s  -da  y-2   02                                                                  your town
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             rna  list s’ ca  mp    aig                         W   orl d Bo   ok   an  d  Co                                                        de   week or
   of Jou
                                      ety fund:                                           eb  ration of books              or city celebrates Pri
            dra  ise r for   its  saf                             Ap  ril 23   is  a cel                                                            as a   hook to
    a fun
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                                                              on
                                                                                                 portunity                 weekend and use it
    htt  ps  ://  ww    w.  ifj. org                          an  d rea din   g an   d an   op                                                  un  ion   ca  mpaigns.
                                       te the life                                         hts of writers                  promote LGBT+
           l, or co  mm     em   ora                              rec og  nis  e the   rig                                                           arn   mo  re about
    htm
                                         say   Ma  lte se
                                                              to
                                                                                             a  loc  al  au tho  r            NUJ charities:     Le
                                       –                                                ite
    of a named journalist                                     and creators. Inv                                             the work of NUJ Extra
                                                                                                                                                        , the union’s
                                       ruana                                                    workshop on
     journalist, Daphne Ca                                     or publisher, or run a                                       welfare chari  ty, or  inv  ite  one of
                                        er,
     Galizia, or Irish report                                  protecting copyright.                                        the George Vin    er  Me   mo   ria l Fund
                                                                                       mo   ria   l Da   y is  on
      Veronica Gueri         n.                                   Workers’ Me                                                                            ers how their
                                        for  th e                                                   re  pe op  le are        scholars to tell memb
        Internation         al Da   y                          Thursday 28          Ap  ril.  Mo                                                         ringboard for
                                         nc e  ag ain  st                                        wa   rs. Joi  n the         bursary provided a sp
      Elimination          of  Vi  ole                          killed at wo    rk   tha  n  in
                                        25 November.                                            fety Council and             their career.
      Women is Thursday                                         NUJ’s Health and Sa                                            Email campaigns@n
                                                                                                                                                            uj.org.uk if
                                   n  pla  y a vit al                                      tin   g  the   un  ion’s
      Good report       ing    ca                               the TUC      in pro   mo                                                               g speakers or
                                       de  rst an ding                                          mp    aig  ns.                you need help findin
                     rea   sin g   un                           health    an  d  saf  ety  ca
      role in inc                                                                                                             materials.
                                          men and by                                              g.uk/wmd
       of violence against wo                                    https://ww w.tuc.or
                                       ts to account for
       holding governmen
N U J - National Union of Journalists
PA I G N                                                                                                    03
        C AM

       The right to
       disconnect
      Laura Bambrick, he
                           ad of the Irish Congre
      Unions’ social policy,                     ss of Trade
                             explains the new code
                                                   in Ireland

    W
      designed to counter
                           the always-on culture
                                ork-life balance       is a danger to thems
                               has always                                         elves and others.         with their employees
                                                       It was in recognition                                                             or union reps to
                               been a priority                                    of this that              tai
                                                      existing EU legislatio                                    lor a right-to-disconn
                                                                                   n reg ulating                                            ect company
                               for trade              working hours and res                                policy to the needs of
                                                                                      t periods was                                     the    business
                              unions; the             introduced. But these                                and its workforce. It
     eight-hour day camp                                                             decades-old                                     pro   vid   es for
                              aign was one of        protections have no                                   reviews, equality ch
     our earliest and most                                                      t kept pace with                                    eck    s, tra  ining,
                               far-reaching          new technology and                                    and raising concern
     achievements.                                                               modern work                                        s  bo  th   inf ormally
                                                     practices.                                           and formally.
      In recent years, howe
                                ver, the short          The Irish Code of Pra                                While failure by an em
     working day has come                                                           ctice on the                                           ployer to
                                under threat        Rig                                                   follow the code is no
    from an always-on cu                                  ht  to Disconnect was de                                                  t an offence, it is
                             lture – a boom                                                veloped       legally admissible in
    in employment contr                             in consultation with                                                             evidence in any
                             acts that                                         trade unions              pro
                                                    an   d  bu sin                                            ceedings a worker tak
    require workers to be                                          ess representatives                                                      es relating to
                            available                                                         and        their working hours
   on demand – and ad                               came into effect in Ap                                                        .
                         vances in                                                ril  thi s year.          The code is not witho
   communication tec                                   There are three eleme                                                            ut its critics.
                        hnology.                                                      nts: the          So   me arg ue it goes too
     While the push from                           rig   ht  of an em  ployee to not have                                               far – that
                              unions               to   rou                                             it will stifle flexible wo
   around the world for                                      tin ely pe rform work outside                                            rki  ng and
                          a “right to              the                                                 deter investment fro
   disconnect” from wo                                   ir no  rm al wo rking hours; the                                          m    Am    erican
                         rk-related calls,         right to not to be pena                             multinationals.
  email and other electr                                                        lised for
                            onic messages          disconnecting; the du                                   Others claim it does
  out of hours pre-dates                                                        ty   to respect                                      not go far
                            the pandemic,         another person’s rig                                 en   ough – that it falls sh
  the huge swathes of                                                         ht to disconnect                                         ort of the
                        workers                   [https://bit.ly/3xk                                 French exemplar of
  suddenly thrust into                                                        dQ4S].                                             inc   luding this
                         remote working                                                               right in primary legisla
  has catapulted the iss                            The code allows for leg                                                           tio  n.
                          ue up the                                                 itimate              Time will tell. Trade
 political agenda. Mu                             situations that may                                                               un   ion  s will be
                       ch of the same                                        oc casionally            closely monitoring its
 technology that enab                            arise when it is neces                                                             op  era   tio  n.
                         les us to work                                       sar  y to              For now, our priority
 from anywhere, make                             contact staff or work                                                           is  to   en  su  re
                         s us reachable                                      ou  t  of hours         its full and proper im
 at any time.                                    to meet the operatio                                                            plementation
                                                                            nal needs of a           in
                                                bu   sin  ess                                            workplaces as part of
   When the occasiona                                           as set out in an emplo                                                our pushback
                          l intrusion on                                                     yee’s  against the chipping
a worker’s personal                             contract of employm                                                              away of work-life
                      time becomes                                           en  t.  It als o       balance.
the norm, it become                             recognises flexible wo
                      s a health and                                          rking is highly
safety concern. An ov                          prized by workers.
                        ertired worker                                                                 • Sign the TUC right
                                                  It requires employers                                                            to disconnect
                                                                               to engage            petition: https://bit
                                                                                                                                .ly/3hJu3vb
N U J - National Union of Journalists
I G N                                                                                                          04
                                   PA
     C AM

  Hands off
  Channel 4
                                                                                                                                             sale. Channel 4
                                            ines the                                                                 make a killing on the
    oadcasting organiser, Paul Siegert, exam                                                                         does not have a progra
                                                                                                                                                mme library
  Br
                       flog off the station
                                                                                                                                               mme rights
                                                                                                                     and most of its progra
  government’s plan to

  I
                                                                                                                                            suppliers – the
                                                    s.                                       iss  ion                are held by its main
                                                                              it co   mm                                                         s who say
                                      , Bake Off,    the programmes                                                  independent producer
        f you enjoy Googlebox                        It spends half of      its   mo    ne  y  ou  tsi   de
                                                                                                                                                ed in hundreds
                                     hletics or                                                                       the station has invest
        It’s a Sin, the Para At                      London and ha         s a ne   w    he  ad  qu    art  ers
                                                                                                                                             anies and
                                      nel 4’s                                                                         of production comp
        as a news junkie Chan                                                                                                                     generations
                                      long news       in Leeds.                                                       acted as a “catalyst for
         award-winning, hour-                            The broad     ca sti ng   wa    tch  do   g,
                                     u will know                                                                      of entrepreneurs”.
         programme, then yo                                           orted that it perform
                                                                                                          ed
                              be celebrating
                                                      Of  co m,  rep                                                     It seems completely
  the station will soon                                                              wers of Channel                                           en there is the
                                                       well and “regular vie                                          counterintuitive, wh
  its 40th birthday.                                                  offeri ng    as   on  e  tha   t is                                         ssible for a
                                                       4 value its                                                                            po
                                 cretary Oliver                                                                        strongest evidence
     Or will it? Culture Se                            high-qua     lity an d  tha    t de  mo    nstrates
                                                                                                                                           wh   ich   can connect
                               ve Channel                                                                              home-grown PSB
   Dowden wants to mo                                          vit y…  an  d Ch    an   ne  l4                                              the   UK   , to put it in a
                     ow  ne rsh  ip. Th  e             creati
                                                                                                  bli  c  sec   tor    with all citizens in
   4 into priva  te
                                                       outperformed the oth
                                                                                          er pu                                                     be sold off to a
                 r, set up   in  19 82  , does                                               ls  in   tac   kli ng     position where it could
   broadca   ste                                                                          ne
                                                       broadcast (PSB) chan                                             foreign owner.
                               r a penny, it                                                casters would
   not cost the taxpaye                                     ues that other broad                                                                    posal was
                     om   e fro  m  ad ve  rti sin g    iss
                                                                                                  tin   g  its             The privatisation pro
   derives   its inc                                                                  is  bo  os                                                  a White Paper
                                  he d back into        not.” Importantly it                                            announced as part of
              pro fit is plo  ug                                                          4 an   d  las   t ye  ar
    and an  y
                                                        digital offering on        Al   l                                                          casting to be
                                                                                               rti sin    g              on the future of broad
                                                                                ita  l ad  ve                                                      n. Some of the
                                                         increased its dig                                               published this autum
                                                         revenues by 11        pe   r cen   t.                                                    ch as ensuring
                                                                                               fix   it?                 ideas make sense; su
                                                                                            y

            Action
                                                           So, if it isn’t bro    ke   wh                                                           minence on
                                                                                                nis   ter    of          UK PSBs are given pro
                                                                            ing    da  le,  mi                                                   d smart TV
                                                            John Whitt                                                   online platforms an
                                                                                            da   ta,  cla   im  s
                                                             state for me     dia   an    d                                                       make the tech
                                                                                                                          guides, and plans to

                               •
                                                                        mo   de  l of  ow   ne   rsh   ip is                                        duties of
                                                               a new                                                      platforms take on the
                                                                        ed  so   Ch   an   ne  l 4  ca   n                                           rs in terms
                                                                 need
                                                                                                      likes               traditional broadcaste
  Send your MP the NUJ C4 briefing and                                mp  ete   ag   ain   st the                                                 ali ty and not
                                                                  co
                                                                                                ne  y+. But               of accuracy, imparti
  ask them to lobby to save the station                             of Ne tfli x   an  d   Dis                                                 off  en  ce. But
                                                                                                  that the                causing harm and
from privatisation: https://www.nuj.org.                            the  wh  ole    po   int  is                                                an  ne  l 4 makes no
                                                                                                        to. Its            privatisation of Ch
 uk/resource/nuj-briefing-on-proposed-                               station doesn’t have                                  sense at all.
                                                                                                      sort of UK
     privatisation-of-channel-4-1.html                              job is to provide the                                     Get your branch org
                                                                                                                                                     anised to

                               •
                                                                                                       US-owned
                                                                    programming that a                                     lobby your loc al MP    or  mayor or get
                                                                                          be he   mo     th   ha s
                                                                   broadcasting                                                                     r to back the
                                                                                                  cing. Its job             your local newspape
  Ask your MP to sign the C4 early day                            no interest in produ
                                                                                                   own TV                   campaign.
                    motion 165:                                 is to nurture home-gr                                                                     d on potential
                                                                                                      y, UK    -ba sed        Consultation launche
       https://edm.parliament.uk/                             stars, commiss         ion    qu  irk                                                   of Channel 4:
                                                                                                    d   sp   ort s.         change of ownership
           early-day-motion/58608                           series, niche int       ere   sts   an                                                  UuLj
                                                                                                                             https://bit.ly/2Uv
                                                                                               ’t going to
                                                               The government isn
N U J - National Union of Journalists
I T Y                                                                                            05
      DIV                ERS

      George Viner
      Memorial Fund                                                                              at The Savoy and in a
                                                                                                                          number of
      How the bursaries fo                                                                       Michelin-star restau
                                                                                                                        rants. He took a
                          r black and minority

    N
      students can make dr                     ethnic                                            part-time job with the
                                                                                                                           Royal Mail so
                           eams come true                                                        he could complete his
                                                                                                                           undergraduate
                                                                                                degree at University
                       abil Mehdinejad mixe                                                                            of London’s
                                               s          Guardian and books                    Birkbeck college, but
                      a mean cocktail. His                                        on civil rights                       it was the final
                                                         and race.                              year module on ‘journa
                      tequila-based Blood                                                                                  lism and
                                                            Nabil said: “He said lot            conflict’ that intereste
                      on the Leaves, with its                                          s of                               d him most.
                                                         encouraging things                       It hasn’t been ideal tak
                      secret beetroot powd                                       to me when I got                            ing his
      ingredient, has won                     er         chatting with him aft                 journalism masters
                              him kudos among                                     er he signed his                   during the
      exotic drink aficiona                             book for me. I then go                 pandemic, but he ha
                              dos.                                                 t talking to BBC                   s had plenty
        But now he is being no                          journalist, Saadeya Sh                 of work experience, sh
                                  minated for                                       amsuddin, who                        ifts with
     awards in another ind                              answered my question                   Sky News and ITN am
                                ustry.                                               s about the                       ong others,
        His video, The currenc                          George Viner schem                    and had “heaps” of int
                                  y of                                          e and encouraged                       erviews. His
     culture, put him on the                           me to apply.”                          ambition now is to be
                                 shortlist                                                                            a producer in
     at the Royal Televisio                               Saadeya was a Georg                 the newsroom, mayb
                              n Society’s                                           e Viner                           e on the foreign
    awards last month an                               sch   olar in 2008 and has             desk, and to uncover
                               d he is up for                                         been a great                   injustices.
    Student Journalist of                              supporter of the chari
                              the Year at the                                     ty which was
    Independent Radio Ne                              set up to broaden the
                               ws awards,                                        diversity of
   winners will be anno                               jou  rnalists working in the
                            unced on 15 July.                                          British and
   In 2019, his film Legit                            Irish media.

                                                                                            Action
                              imising Inequity
   took first place at the                              Nabil never imagine
                             London Student                                     d he would
   Film Festival.                                     ha  ve ever been a journa
                                                                                   list. He

                                                                                                           •
     It was thanks to the NU                         said: “I thought you ha
                                 J’s George                                      d  to be
  Viner Memorial Foun                                from Cambridge or Ox
                             dation charity                                      for  d
  that he was able to sta                            universities. I’m also
                             rt his career          dyslexic and have oth
                                                                                               Invite a George Viner scholar to your
 in journalism. It provid                                                      er                         branch meeting.
                              ed a bursary          learning difficulties
 towards his Broadcas                                                        but                 Contact  GeorgeViner@nuj.org.uk
                            ting Journalism
 MA which he studie                                 I was always intereste

                                                                                                           •
                         d at London’s                                         d
 City University.                                  in storytelling and ev
                                                                              en
   It came about after he                          as   a young teen I would
                               attended the        be in the school librar                     Make a regular donation to the charity:
 NUJ’s event, An Even                                                         y
                           ing with Gary          rea   din  g the papers and                         https://bit.ly/3hJaIsH

                                                                                                           •
Younge, then with Th
                          e Guardian.
Gary, now an NUJ Me                               cu   rre  nt affairs publications
                          mber of Honour
and professor of soc                              like The Economist.”
                        iology at the
University of Manche                                 After leaving school
                                                                              Nabil
                                                                                                    Encourage young black and
                          ster, was a
hero of Nabil’s for his                          we    nt  int o the hospitality                     minority ethnic would-be
                         writing in The
                                                 industry, working for
                                                                             two years                  journalists to apply
                                                                                                  to the scheme.
N U J - National Union of Journalists
N C H                                                                                                                                   06
         BRA

Selling the
union               ribes the work of the
                                          union’s                                                                 members, some have
                                                                                                                                              just joined, and
                                                                                                                                            s and branch
John Millington desc                      ch
                                                                                                                  others are active rep
                     mmunications Bran                                                                            officers. The branch
                                                                                                                                            provides advice
Public Relations & Co

T
                                                                                                                                             and we have
                                                 g a tough            wh   o  we    re   havin                    for workplace issues
                                                    co lle ag  ue   s                                                                        who, day jobs
                 he NUJ is the union
                                          for
                                                                       e of Covid-19. We                          trained caseworkers
                                                    tim   e be ca   us                                                                      y members to
                 press officers, public                                                                  with     allowing, accompan
                                                    ha  ve  pu  t on a series of events.                                                     gement.
                 relations officers,                                                                  tics and     meetings with mana
                                                    sp  ea  ke rs talking about analy                                                              ible for the
                 communications                                                                            ting      The branch is respons
                                                     infl ue nc   ing   in the PR and marke                                                ics   for  PR and
                  specialists, in-house                                                           .                union’s code of eth
                                                     wo  rld , among other topics                                                        wo   rke   rs. The
 journal editors and ed
                           itorial                                                                                 communications
                                                                                                                                        t  a set   of  rul es, but
 professionals in a wid
                           e range of                                                                              guidelines are no
                                                                                                                                        pri  nc  ipl es  of good
  related roles.                                                                                                   an outline of the
                                          &                                                                                          s. Th  ey    pro  mo  te  the
     Prior to the pandem
                            ic, the PR                                                                             public relation
                                                                                                                                      sio na  l an  d  eth ica  l
                          established                                                                               highest profes
  Comms branch had                                                                                                                            ort those
   a core committee, iss
                           ued reg ular                                                                             standards and supp
                                     mo    nth ly        As   pa  rt  of  try  ing to be                                          pro fes sio  nal PR and
                           having                                                                                   working in
   newsletters and was                                                         rel   ev  an  t to   ou  r
                                                                                                                                                es if they are
                            significant               professionally                                                communications rol
   quorate meetings – a                                                       ha   ve    a sta  nd   ing                                          oices [https://
                           vious years. Our            members, we                                                  faced with difficult ch
   improvement on pre                                                     ag   en   da    de  dic  ate   d to
                                                                                                                                                 /code-of-
                              d is now meets           item on the                                                   nujprcbranch.co.uk
    website was rebuilt an                                                wo   rkp    lac  e iss  ue  s.
                              nal standards            discussing                                                    ethics/].
    modern and professio                                          n  I go to media awards                                                          nch speaker
    and publishes blog po
                              sti ng s fro m              W  he
                                                                                                 na   l events           Our most recent bra
                                                                      ies   or   pro    fes  sio                                                     gth about
                               ers [https://            ceremon                                                      Ella Minty spoke at len
    officers and lay memb                                           NU   J, I alw    ay  s ass   ume                                              an  d how we
    nujprcbranch.co.uk
                            /]                          for the
                                                                                                t  nothing            trust in our industry
                                                        colleag     ue  s  kn  ow     alm    os                                                me    ca  ses, regain it
       Since the pandemic
                               even the
                                                                                                ll as                 maintain and, in so
                                                        abou    t  the   un   ion   . As   we                                                  Th   is fee ds directly
                            of us have had                                                                            in our workplaces.
     most technophobic                                           ini  ng   the     list  of  be  nefits of                                      ipl e in  ou r code
                                 ce Zoom                 expla                                                         into the third pri  nc
     no choice but to embra                                         ers  hip   , I alw    ay s ask: “Would                                   tha   t we   sh ould
                               g services to             me   mb                                                       of ethics which    is
     and other video-callin                                    dri   ve  a  ca  r  wit   ho  ut insurance?”                                      se  or  mi sle  ading
                              d social ev    en ts.      yo  u                                                         not dissemina    te  fal
     conduct meetings an                                                                   er, “N   o  of
                                                                                                                                                  th a practical and
                                s concerned              Rhetorically I answ                                            information. It is bo
         As branch chair, I wa                                                         us  e yo  u  mi   gh  t
                              would present               course not, beca                                              ethical guide.
      that Zoom meetings                                               ac  cid   en   t.” I finish by asking:                                          g and, most
      another barrier to pa
                              rticipati   on ,            ha ve   an
                                                                                                     wo   rk               Organising, recruitin
                                                                                     yo  u  go  to                                                   n is the name of
                                  in attendance           “So why would                                                  importantly, retentio
      yet it led to an upsurge                                                      nc   e wh   en    yo  u                                          e in the union
                                times                     without insura                                                 the game for everyon
       – with numbers some                                                     cip   lin  ed  or  fac   e                                              lace issues
                                mbers                      could be dis                                                  and identifying workp
       doubling and new me                                                                                                                            ed will be key
                                  ed.                      the sack?”                                                     that can be collectivis
       becoming more involv                                                 e  is   at  diff  ere   nt  sta ges
                                                                                                                                                   hip fig ures and
                                  agreed                     Everyon                                                      to upping members
          The branch recently                                          rel  ati   on   sh  ip  wit   h  the  NUJ.
                                  union’s                  in their                                                       participation.
        to donate £500 to the                                         people are prospect
                                                                                                         ive
                             J Ex  tra , to he lp           So me
        welfare charity, NU
N U J - National Union of Journalists
N I N G                                                                                                                   07
          A I
        TR
       Reporting
       trauma
       Former BBC journalis
                            t, Jo Healy, explains
       course can help jour                       how her
                           nalists when intervie                                                          facts; inaccuracy wil
                                                                                                                                  l cause distress.
       vulnerable people                        wing

    A
                                                                                                          Take time. Even if yo
                                                                                                                                  ur deadline is
                                                                                                          pressing, don’t look
                                                                                                                                 as if you can’t
                                                                                                          wait to rush off.
                       cross three decades
                                                       it all go badly wrong.                              Melody is a survivor
                       of covering people’s                                      I approached                                       of child
                                                      people who had chos                                sex ual abuse. She waive
                      sensitive stories for                                      en to share their                                    d her right
                                                      painful experiences                                to anonymity when
                      newspapers, radio                                         with reporters.                                 her stepfather
                                                      I asked them to tell me                            was jailed for 18 years
                      and TV, I have delve                                          what was                                       . Via my
     into the homes and                       d       he  lpful, unhelpful, comf                        Trauma Reporting tra
                            lives of hundreds                                        orting                                        ining, she
     of people whose em                              or damaging when wo                                shared her experienc
                            otions were                                           rking with                                      es of working
     shredded – ordinary                             jou  rnalists. Their respo                         with reporters. She
                             people to whom                                        nses were                                   told me: “As a
     something extraord                              an eye-opener. Gene                                child victim, I had no
                            inarily bad or                                     rously, many                                      power. Being
     difficult had happen                            we   nt on  film to share constru                 int erviewed, I felt I was
                            ed.                                                            ctive                                    back as a
      As reporters, we wo                           insights.                                          vulnerable child havin
                              rk closely with                                                                                     g to relive
    victims, survivors an                              They were able to he                            it again. Through yo
                             d interviewees                                     lp me put                                     ur training
    who are emotionally                             tog  eth  er a  Continuing Professio              pro  gramme, I can share
                            vulnerable:                                                      nal                                     with
    grieving parents, orp                           Development-accre                                 journalists the need
                            haned children,                                  dit ed  co urs e on                               to giv e people
    survivors of rape, ab                          Trauma Reporting wh                                like me choice, contr
                           use and torture,                                     ich  I rec en tly                              ol
    people violated and                            held for NUJ Training                              and connection.”
                          attacked, people                                     Wales. I
    who’ve lost homes an                           address what we as
                            d livelihoods.                                  journalists
    More recently we ha                            actually do when a tra
                          ve had to report                                     gic story

                                                                                                       Info
   on people affected by                          breaks and apply tra
                            the pandemic                                     uma
   and the stories of tho                         awareness and good
                           se involved in                                    practice
   the #MeToo and #B                              at  each step of the way.
                         lackLivesMatter                                         The

                                                                                                                  •
   movements.                                     expectation is journa
                                                                             lists
     We aren’t there to ho                       leave with a much cle
                             ld people to                                    arer
  account, but to hear                           ide  a of how to go about
                         their stories and                                                                   Jo’s website:
  represent what they                            covering these tough
                         say in the best                                                         https://traumareporting.com/

                                                                                                                  •
 way possible.                                   emotional stories an
                                                                           d
    A few years back, I too                     ho   w they can cope
                             k a good hard      themselves after
 look at what we do da
                         ily, not only at
                                                                                            Six-point guide for reporting domestic
how vulnerable our                              he  aring witnesses’                    violence https://ethicaljournalismnetwork.
                       contributors are
but also how unprotec                           harrowing and                               org/ejn-launches-six-point-guide-for-
                          ted we and,           up  sett  ing  ac                          journalists-reporting-domestic-violence

                                                                                                                  •
indeed, our employe                                               co unts.
                        rs, were should
                                                  Always check the

                                                                                       Reporting on sexual violence in conflict:
                                                                                          https://www.coveringcrsv.org/
The National Union of Journalists

              N S
                                                                               Is the voice of journalism in the UK and Ireland

           SO
                                                                               for all media, communications and PR workers.

          A
                                                                               It represents staff and freelances working in

        RE JOIN
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        TO
                                                                               copy writing and as photographers and illustrators.
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                                                                               professional careers, provides a collective voice for
                                                                               industrial issues and freelance rights and defends
                                                                               press freedom.
                                    ☞
                                        Pay                                                                     Ending the Gender
                                                                                                                Pay Gap
      9 Million                         It pays to be in the NUJ. In the
                                        past year – in deals that exclude                                       A Press Gazette analysis showed that

                    +
                                        collective pay awards – the NUJ                                         91 per cent of UK media companies
                                        secured more than £9million for                                         paid men more than women and 85
                                        its members; that’s £25,000 every                                       per cent of men got better bonuses
                                        single day. The union negotiates                                        and it’s a similar picture in Ireland. One
                                        on pay, freelance rates, pension                                        magazine group’s gap was almost 37

                    =
                                        terms, salary structures and paid                                       per cent. Opaque, unfair pay structures
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                                        over copyright infringements                                            contributing factors. The NUJ negotiates
                                        and non-payment of wages and                                            on transparent pay structures,
                                        fees. It wins equal pay cases                                           progressive work-life balance policies,
                                        and backdated salary, pension                                           better maternity and paternity deals and
                                        contributions, and pay-rises.                                           fair recruitment procedures.

 Press Freedom                                                                 Ethical Journalism
 The NUJ lobbies for journalists’                                              The NUJ’s code of conduct sets the
 rights so you can protect                                                     benchmark for the profession’s                         TRUTH
 your sources, have editorial                                                  standards. The NUJ stands for
 independence and do your job safely                                           responsible reporting and ethical
 and freely, without censorship                                                behaviour across the media and

                                                                                                                                                   FAKE
                                                                                                                             fact
 from the state. As a member of                                                public relations. It argues for
 the International Federation                                                  press plurality, journalists’ rights
 of Journalists we are part of a                                               and supports public interest and
 600,000-strong community                                                      investigative journalism. Democracy,                    LIES
 working to ensure the safety of                                               whether at a local or international
 media workers across the globe,                                               level, depends on a media that is
 fighting for freedom of information,                                          trusted and properly resourced – and
 open government and plurality of                                              a union which fights for it.
 the media.

                                            Be Part of a                                                              Respect at Work
                                            Collective Voice                                                          The NUJ challenges work cultures
                                            As a member of the NUJ you                                                which lead to bullying and
                                            are part of a united force                                                harassment. It will represent you
                                            championing the rights of media                                           if you experience this behaviour. It
                                            workers and defending attacks                                             uses its collective voice industry-
                                            on press freedom. Successful                                              wide to argue that media workers
                                            workplaces are those where the                                            are treated with respect. We
                                            management and workers share                                              promote workplaces where workers
                                            the same aims and talk to each                                            and managers are constructive
                                            other. Being a member of the                                              with their criticism during the
                                            NUJ means giving yourself and                                             creative process, and the union
                                            colleagues a real voice at work.                                          publishes codes of conduct and
                                                                                                                      dignity at work policies.

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You can contact the NUJ at:
                                        Join the NUJ today at
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info@nuj.org.uk
or for membership queries at:
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Tel: 020 7843 3700
Follow: @nujofficial on Twitter                                                                                           www.nuj.org.uk
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