Branch Christmas Party 2009 2 December 2009
Posted by Donnacha DeLong in NUJ, events.Tags: christmas, fleet street, london central branch, NUJ
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Christmas is getting closer so why not kick off the festive party season by joining us for our annual branch Christmas bash next Tuesday, 8 December at 7pm at the Punch & Judy Tavern in Fleet Street, just off the junction with Farringdon Road and Ludgate Circus.
The nearest rail station is City Thameslink, just across the road from the pub. There will be a brief meeting followed by the party and there will be food available. The branch will also buy the first drinks of the evening.
So please come along and join us next Tuesday.
Happy Christmas!
The London Central branch committee
Vote now for the editor of the Journalist 15 October 2009
Posted by Donnacha DeLong in NUJ.Tags: election, NUJ, Royal Mail, The Journalist
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Members in London should now have received their voting packs for the election of the new editor of the NUJ’s magazine – The Journalist. London Central Branch discussed the election last night.
The Branch wants to encourage members to vote and to do so quickly due to the possibility of the Royal Mail dispute holding up the return of postal ballots. A strong turn-out in this election will strengthen the new editor’s position.
Information about the election and the candidates can be found on the NUJ’s website.
The election has already received quite a bit of attention in the industry press, including the Press Gazette and Hold the Front Page.
For those who didn’t make the recent London hustings, Jonathan Warren has posted a report with audio on his website.
ADM motions at July branch meeting this Tuesday 13 July 2009
Posted by steve1917 in General.2 comments
Dear members,
Please don’t forget to come along to the July branch meeting of the NUJ London Central branch this coming Tuesday July 14 at 7pm, where we will be approving the branch’s motions for this year’s ADM in Southport in November.
Remember, this is your chance to have your say and influence union policy. Motions already proposed or suggested include a call on the union to fight the threat posed to across-the-board pay deals by performance-related pay, which several companies are trying to introduce by the back door.
Other motions suggested so far include a call for a debate on how the union should approach reporting of employment and immigration-related issues raised by the Lindsey oil refinery dispute and a motion condemning media companies using the recession as an excuse to cut jobs.
So please have a think about the issues that you would like the union to debate this year and bring any motions you would like to propose to the meeting on Tuesday night, which takes place at Headland House, Gray’s Inn Road, just five minutes’ walk from King’s Cross and St Pancras International stations. There will be drinks in a local pub after the meeting.
June Branch Meeting 8 June 2009
Posted by steve1917 in General.Tags: London Central NUJ, NUJ
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At the next monthly meeting of the London Central branch, this Tuesday June 9 at 7pm at Headland House, we will be starting the build-up to this year’s NUJ Annual Delegate Meeting, which takes place in the north west seaside resort of Southport from November 19-22 and is the forum in which the union determines its policies for the coming year.
It’s extremely important that as many branch members as possible try to attend Tuesday’s meeting because we will be proposing draft motions for the ADM, which will be put out for consultation after the meeting and considered for final approval and submission at the July branch meeting.
If you feel strongly about something and want it raised, then please draw up something and bring it along on Tuesday night. The aim is to look at what we have, circulate it and then take a final vote on it in July. We will of course have an opportunity to amend our resolutions — and anyone else’s for that matter — at a later meeting. A guide to how to draw up resolutions can be found by going to the NUJ website and clicking on the ADM 2009 logo. A link will also be posted on the London Central NUJ site.
The preliminary agenda will be out in August and again will be available to view online. The branch will make any necessary amendments and elect delegates at the September branch meeting and the final agenda will be out in October.
Let’s ensure we have maximum involvement from all sectors covered by our branch. NUJ members from the national titles in particular will have much to contribute to the important discussions that will take place in Southport. Every member can play their part in making ADM 2009 a success — and that means you.
We will also be discussing other matters at the meeting, including requests for help from our members at national newspapers and other media outlets in fighting job losses and other cutbacks. So please come along on Tuesday — Headland House is just five minutes’ walk from King’s Cross and St Pancras rail stations and there will be drinks in a local pub after the meeting.
Next Branch Meetings 3 April 2009
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The next two meetings of the London Central NUJ branch will take place on Tuesday 14th April and Tuesday 12th May 2009. Both meetings will start at 7.00pm and take place at the usual venue of the NUJ Headquarters, 308-320 Gray’s Inn Road, London WC1X 8DP – just five minutes walk from King’s Cross Station. Given the crisis facing our industry at present there will be much to talk about at these meetings. At our March branch meeting, following the AGM, some good news was reported on the Morning Star front where the NUJ chapel has won a good deal with 5.7% pay rises scheduled for the lowest pay journalists on the paper. Well done to the chapel for standing firm on union principles and thanks to all those in the Labour and trade union movement who expressed support and solidarity with the journalists. However it was also reported that the situation at Thomson Reuters was getting worse and action would need to be taken sooner rather than later. One item of business tabled for the April branch meeting is a proposal to donate £500 towards the funding of a survey on the current situation in New Media. By the way, a warm welcome to all our old (and new) friends from Canary Wharf.
Stand Up For (Striking) Journalism 26 March 2009
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To show solidarity with all NUJ members in dispute and to raise cash for fighting funds, NUJ Left is hosting ‘Stand up for journalism’ - a comedy benefit gig for striking journalists.
It will be at Bar B Lo, 76 Marchmont Street, London, on Wednesday 15 April. Doors open 7.30pm. Nearest tube Russell Square.
Tickets will be available soon at £5 waged/£3 unwaged, or pay on the door. Collections on the night.
The full line-up will be announced shortly, but Attila the Stockbroker will present his line in anti-capitalist rants.
There will also be NUJ speakers and DJ Barter playing ska, new wave and punk beats.
If you want tickets to sell at work or flyers to help raise the issue of the cuts, email the organisers at richsimcox@mac.com
Branch Secretary’s Report 25 March 2009
Posted by steve1917 in NUJ.Tags: London Central NUJ
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The past 12 months have continued a process of change in our industry that has impinged, particularly, on members of this branch. Further redundancies and financial cutbacks across the entire newspaper and agencies sector have thrown up ongoing challenges that your union and this branch have had to address. The branch, its constituent chapels and the NUJ overall, has risen to these challenges, successfully fighting against compulsory redundancies and campaigning for quality journalism. The union’s revitalised strategy, formulated at the recent Jobs Summit, will help to protect jobs, seize new opportunities and add impetus to our struggle. However, in order to ensure that we maintain a strong voice within the media industry, it is more imperative than ever that we recruit from among those already working in our sectors as well as new arrivals. For those of us who have striven to bring new members into the fold, the one startling response we have had from potential members is that they had not joined before because nobody has asked them! This is staggering. So, I would urge every member to ask at least one other non-NUJ colleague to join. I would also urge the incoming branch officers to approach lapsed members and encourage them to return to full membership as well as helping those who are currently unemployed. Last year, I reported the transfer of Reuters members to Canary Wharf Branch and Daily & Sunday Telegraph members from canary Wharf to London Central. Now we are in the process of welcoming some 600 or so members from Canary wharf Branch, which has decided to merge with London Central. While it is always a sad occasion to witness the demise of a branch, in the current circumstances that face this union it may be the opportune time for such a merger. I am standing down this year as Branch Secretary after seven years. I would like to thank my current and former colleagues on the branch committee as well as chapel officers and other members for the efforts they have put in during my sojourn and for the courtesy and consideration they have shown me. I hand over the mantle at a time when this branch has never been stronger and can only gain strength from the addition of our Canary wharf colleagues. I hope that I have played my part in help to maintain our solidarity. Once again I will leave you with what I believe should be the branch maxim: Recruit! Recruit! Recruit! Jim Humphries
Support Leeds Strikers 25 March 2009
Posted by steve1917 in NUJ, disputes.Tags: Johnston Press, Leeds NUJ, London Central NUJ, NUJ, Yorkshire Post
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Journalists at the Yorkshire Post, Yorkshire Evening Post and Leeds Weekly News are taking strike action to defend their jobs and quality journalism.
They have already lost up to thirteen days of pay and need your help.
Johnston Press management, which this week announced profits of £128 million – or a 24.1% return on investment – is responding to the news by making 18 journalists redundant on the Yorkshire titles – 10% of the editorial workforce.
Johnston Press has returned hundreds of millions of pounds in dividends and bonuses to shareholders in recent years, while racking up debts of £450 million in a reckless expansion process.
Around 30 Johnston titles in Northern Ireland are at risk, all Johnston titles in the Republic have been put up for sale and management are seeking further redundancies in Scotland.
Members in Leeds are at the frontline in this dispute, as management become entrenched in their desire to service their debt and bolster their profits by sacking journalists and streamlining operations.
Management are refusing to rule out compulsory redundancies, which the union wholeheartedly oppose. The consequences of compulsory redundancies could lead to a similar approach being rolled out not only at Johnston titles, but also across the industry.
We are calling on every member to back the action taken by the workers in Leeds as they defend both jobs and a quality product of which they were once proud.
Branches have already been generous in their support, but we are calling on chapels – many of which will already be feeling the threat of cost-cutting and profiteering by management – to make collections, on a weekly basis, to ensure victory for our colleagues in Leeds.
Don’t worry if you can’t afford much – it all adds up.
A victory in Yorkshire will send a clear message that the NUJ will not stand for compulsory redundancies – and will always fight against the propaganda and profiteering which threatens our industry.
James Doherty Jeremy Dear
President General Secretary
HOW TO HELP:
- Cheques should be made payable to: ‘EP/YP joint chapel branch’ and sent to PO Box HP346, Leeds LS6 1UL
- Donations online to: Unity Trust Bank account 35017589 sort code 08-60-01
- Messages of support to: nujleedsstrikers@googlemail.com and 07549 170401
- Join the Save Leeds’ Local Newspapers facebook group
- Keep up to date with strike news on the NUJ website
Branch AGM Report 25 March 2009
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This year’s Annual General Meeting of the London Central Branch saw the election of some new officers to replace those who had decided to step down including our long standing Secretary Jim Humphries and Chair Helene Mulholland. Both were thanked for all their hard work and the branch looks forward to their continued involvement at the heart of the struggle against job losses and the imposition of declining standards in the newsrooms. Replacing Jim is Phil Waller, who had held the Assistant Secretary position and Rob Sewell has taken over the position of Branch Chair from Helene – he had previously been Assistant Chair. So both the new faces are actually not so new after all! Charley Allan will now combine the position of Membership Secretary with that of Assistant Chair. Steve Jones remains Treasurer and Bill Bowder, Welfare Officer. NUJ General Secretary Jeremy Dear attended the meeting and outlined the critical situation facing both journalism and the union. Membership was holding up well but given the massive job cuts being pushed through across the board it would be unrealistic to expect things not to get worse. We need to step up our efforts on recruitment and stress the successes the union has had on defending jobs and conditions. Before the meeting started we were honoured to hear an address from the Leeds strikers who were down in the Capital for the day, see the report on the front page. With members such as these we can be confident that the union will continue to be at the forefront of the fightback. During the next few months we will see the reintegration of the Canary Wharf members into our branch which will bring all the main London based national titles and agencies together under one roof – exciting times ahead!
NUJ Lobby 25th March 20 March 2009
Posted by steve1917 in General.Tags: Lobby Of Parliament, London Central NUJ, NUJ
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Time to put pressure on MPs over local media jobs
With a week to go until the NUJ’s parlimentary lobby over local media cutbacks, more than seventy UK MPs have signed a motion on the issue.
The parliamentary petition regrets job cuts at profitable local media and calls on the government to give state support ONLY in return for guarantees on investment in journalism.
MPs from England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and seven different political parties have backed the demand.
The NUJ is calling on as many journalists as possible to attend a lobby of Westminster on 25 March and to write to their MPs before that date.
f you are coming email campaigns@nuj.org.uk for more info.
The NUJ estimates that nearly 2,000 jobs have been lost from regional newspapers, television, radio, and websites.
Early Day Motion 916 supporting local journalism has 71 MPs signed up from the Conservative, Demonractic Unionist, Labour, Liberal Democrat, Plaid Cymru, Scottish Nationalist, and Social Democratic and Labour parties.
The lobby is on Wednesday 25 March. There is a briefing for MPs about regional journalism in the UK at 2pm in Committee Room 20 of the House of Commons. Individual journalists are encouraged to speak to their own MP after the briefing.
There will be an additional meeting for Welsh MPs at 3.30pm in Committee Room 21.
Jeremy Dear, NUJ General Secretary, said: “It is important that as many people as possible lobby their MPs by letter and in person. We need to demonstrate to them that we are serious about Standing Up for Journalism.
“Please write to your MP even if they have signed the EDM – we need to create some momentum for the campaign.
“There is a lot of talk about state-subsidy, tax-breaks and statutory advertising. If that happened now it would not save jobs – it would just create a government-funded free cash point for profit-hungry speculators.
“Any state aid must be tied to guarantees about jobs and public service journalism – in newspapers, websites and broadcasting.
“There must also mechanisms to safeguard editorial integrity.
“The government also needs to look at backing new local media start ups as part of their agenda of supporting social cohesion.”
The lobby is part of a union-wide campaign against media cutbacks.
13 March 2009 updated 18 March 2009
