Feeling a bit vulnerable

Isn't there meant to be a lull after a storm? Not here..

With The Guardian deal agreed today was dominated by trying to get the NUJ's submission to the TUC Commission on Vulnerable Employment done by the deadline at 5pm this evening! It's done and it makes some powerful points about the way employers exploit work experience in breach of the National Minimum Wage and how employment status is used to create a second class of workers - doing a job but without the rights enjoyed by employees - and vulnerable to being laid off at a moment's notice.

Michelle Stanistreet and I had a meeting to discuss progress with the co-ordinators of the Pathways to Journalism course the NUJ set up in conjunction with the Writers in Prison Network for those working on prison newspapers and magazines. It has been a success but a real struggle given the funding problems and the obvious restrictions on prisoners. However more than 100 writers, illustrators and designers have now taken part in the scheme - with some showing real potential. We are about to see the first person attempt the diploma level in the coming weeks.

I've got the parents coming tonight so I'm sneaking off now to give the house that one last tidy!

Deal or no deal - the sequel

The Guardian deal has been done (subject to some caveats obviously - nothing is that simple)! A lively chapel meeting today backed the following motion overwhelmingly.

"This chapel accepts the 24/7 enabling deal as set out in the latest letter from the company, pending agreement by the Observer chapel. The chapel welcomes the work done by its negotiators to address concerns raised at chapel and section meetings and to pull the company back from the worst excesses of its original proposals.
The chapel notes that it has had to take several issues on trust and based on broad assurances from the company. In particular, the chapel has continuing concerns about the possible extent of early, late and weekend working, the degree of multi-platform working and the potential for changes to lead to excessive working hours and the exposure of staffing shortages, and remains unconvinced of the need for or desirability of a longer basic working week.
The chapel therefore gives notice that it will vigorously monitor the implementation of the agreement and integration process and will ensure that implementation is subject to negotiation at chapel and sectional level.

In the event that management at any point fails to address these concerns or abide by both the letter and spirit of the agreement, chapel officers are instructed to put the matter into dispute and call a mandatory meeting to consider a ballot for industrial action and/or a work to contract. The chapel also urges members to monitor their working hours over the coming months and pass on the results to committee representatives.">

The NUJ has already put out a statement and a number of media have picked it up including Press Gazette and media guardian website

What few notice in the maelstrom of such disputes is just how much work our lay reps put in. Over the past six months (long before people like me swan in and claim a load of the credit) our chapel reps were working away arguing the union case. Then they spent the hours at ACAS, they did the desk and section meetings, they answerred members' questions and took every concern raised back to management. In this dispute they have been brilliant. It hasn't always been easy for any of us but they deserve huge praise and thanks from all across the union. They are always there to take the flak, they should also get the credit they deserve. It seems unfair to single any one of them out but our MoC Helene Mulholland deserves a good night's sleep and a glass or two of wine tonight for all the brilliant work she has put in.

After a quick drink at the Horseshoes pub, which has become like the unofficial headquarters of the Guardian negotiators, I came back to try to sort out a harder problem - the mess we've created over the establishment of an NUJ Pensioners' Association. I'm not sure how far we got in the meeting but at least we all understand a bit better what we're seeking to achieve and are all going away to think about things.

Before heading I briefly catch up on the situation at the BBC. Ballot papers are due to go out next week and plan some of the work we will be doing to get a big yes vote and big turnout.

Hope for the future?

Spent yesterday evening talking to students at Liverpool Hope University as part of the union's Stand Up for Journalism campaign. I always feel a bit guilty when i do sessions like that because you're highlighting all the bad things happening in the industry to lots of eager young journalists. All I can give them is the hope that through joining the union, joining our campaign to speak out and fight for quality media that things can change. They all seem up for that!

I travelled to Liverpool after attending the Guardian Chapel Committee meeting which decided unanimously to recommend the latest offer but with a clear message to the company that there are no blank cheques and any breach of the letter or spirit of the agreement will result in the chapel calling mandatory meetings and considering a ballot for industrial action. The full Chapel meeting will vote on the deal later today.

Elsewhere so far this week I have done an interview with Newspepper, a news website aimed at 18-30year olds (I think i was in their grumpy old men slot!) about journalism and met with the NUJ's Parliamentary Group to talk through current and future work, especially around our campaign to save ITV News, the abuse of work experience and the pension changes taking place at Newsquest.

We also issued a statement in support of the US Screenwriters' strike.

Speaking out for Karen

© Paul Herrmann5
Karen Reissman with NUJ President Michelle Stanistreet


The NUJ has pledged its support for Karen Reissman, a Unison rep who was sacked for speaking to the media. Karen, who worked for Manchester Mental Health Trust, gave an interview with a small community magazine about the impact of the transferral of some of the trust’s work to the voluntary sector. As a result she was sacked.

Karen was a guest speaker at our Stand up for Journalism event in Manchester because we realise how important it is to provide support to whistleblowers - they enable journalists to uncover fraud, corruption, waste and much more. They are vital to journalism. If people like Karen get sacked and lose their case fewer people will be willing to come forward as sources and/or whistleblowers.

Press Gazette have covered the story today.

It was grim up north

Thursday was a grim day - I travelled to Scotland for a family funeral.

Neil was 41 years old, just a few months older than me. He has left a wife and two young children - what was clear, as his friends and work colleagues spoke so passionately about him, is that he will also leave a huge hole in many other people's lives. It was an incredibly sad but amazing funeral - around 300 people there. What's for certain is that each of us, as we thought of Neil, also thought a lot about our own lives and our priorities. Rest in peace Neil.

After a late night back from Scotland and full of cold the last thing I needed was a 9-hour National Executive Council meeting - but it's what was on the agenda.

The meeting talked a great deal about the tough financial climate facing the NUJ and has put forward some motions to the annual conference to curb spending or raise additional funds. Some of them won't be popular and some of them will be thrown out but they may well be essential unless other alternatives can be found.

The NEC also tabled motions on a range of other topics including the protection of sources, multimedia working, Colombia, equal pay, Alan Johnston and the kidnapping of journalists and workplace reps. The deadline for motions is later today and the preliminary agenda is out on 14 December.

Among the other issues the NEC tackled were the industrial situations at The Guardian, BBC, ITV, Informa and union campaigning. John McDonnell MP attended to give his report as secretary of the union's Parliamentary Group.

Saturday afternoon I spoke at a workshop on the media and Venezuela alongside Ian Bruce, the BBC's former correspondent in Caracas at the Hands off Venezuela conference.

Sunday I nursed my cold - oh and then went out to see the Flux of Pink Indians and Steve Ignorant and the remains of Crass - the old anarchist punk is still alive and kicking inside the trade union bureaucrat!

Guardian chapel seeks more time while McLaren's time must be up

A morning of catching up on staffing issues and correspondence followed by a Chapel meeting at The Guardian.

The 180-strong meeting heard almost two hours of passionate debate about the pros and cons of the draft new agreement covering 24/7 working. It is a complicated deal with lots of positives and some negatives and the mood of the meeting was clearly to delay taking a decision today and to consider the agreement over the next week and meet again in 7 days time to vote on the proposal.

It can seem frustrating after so many hours of negotiating the draft agreement but it is such a fundamental change in working practices that it is right people have a decent amount of time to consider all aspects of it before voting to accept or reject.

Back from the Chapel we had a Campaigns and Communications team meeting to talk about upcoming issues, discuss plans for the new website to go live and review the outcome of our day of action. Straight on from that to the final meeting of the Commission on Multimedia Working in a bid to finalise the report which will be published the first week of December.

Quick rush home to watch the second half of the football, England get dumped out of Euro 2008 and surely Steve McLaren lose his job. I hope he's got a good union to represent him!

Nearly there?

Talked to a group of Pakistani journalists yesterday about the threat to their freedoms as a result of the state of emergency and the brutal assault on media freedoms.

Have also just come across footage from the picket of the High Commission we were involved in last week.

The last two days have again been taken up largely by Guardian and Observer talks. On Monday morning I was at ACAS with The Observer and then in the afternoon met union reps from both Chapels. Later in the day we had another round of negotiations with management - and made more progress.

After internal staff meetings this morning I met with BECTU to discuss joint working and then attended an ITV Unions meeting to talk about the joint unions' pay claim and the Save ITV News campaign.

This afternoon I met with The Guardian Chapel Committee which will tomorrow be recommending acceptance of the agreement which has resulted from our mammoth talks at ACAS. Tonight it's back to trying to catch up with other work.

Scandal set to rock the media?

This week's dodgy phone-in photo competition: Can you spot a journalist from a news desk near you?

Standards watchdogs were demanding answers after journalists and media execs were pitched in to the heart of a "jobs for goals" footballing scandal this weekend.

Suspicions were raised after several overweight, 40-something hacks secured an emphatic 8-2 victory against students from Cardiff University's School of Journalism. The students denied they had "thrown" the game amid fears their journalistic careers may be over before they even began. But when Steve "the gaffer" Busfield scored his first goal in almost five years the evidence appeared overwhelming.

This weekend was the 20th anniversary tour for those of us who graced Cardiff's School of Journalism football team all those years ago. We still play each season and to mark the occasion we organised games against the lecturers (who beat us 1-0 and awarded themselves a nice shiny cup) and the students (who we thrashed and got nothing but some pride restored). Still bitter after all these years? You bet!

That's enough fun for one week - now it's back to ACAS....

This one's for Joe

Thursday night, Acton Town hall and a tribute to the late Clash front man Joe Strummer, commemorating his last gig - a benefit for the FBU. I had the honour of speaking at the event talking about how Joe had always stood out against the racists, for public services not private profit, for co-operation not competition. It was great to be part of an event raising that banner of solidarity again.
And things got even better when we got to be the mass chorus for Billy Bragg's encore - the Clash song Garageland as shown on dodgy footage here and here

There has also been more coverage of our protest at the Pakistan High Commission. Here's the Yorkshire Post's take on it.

Press Gazette have also published the My Week column I wrote last week covering the Stand Up for Journalism events and several ACAS trips.

Friday it was back to reality, back to ACAS and back to negotiations with The Guardian management. I was told they were only available till two. I didn't realise at that point it was going to be 2am! Yes, it was another long one pouring out of ACAS just as all the normal people poured out of clubs. We've now notched up over 70 hours of ACAS talks. We'll know later this week what the Chapel make of the progress we've made.

Why I hate ITV and dictators

I don't actually hate ITV - I hate ITV's owners and shareholders who have spent the past few years talking up their commitment to local, regional and public service programming whilst in practice swinging a bloody great axe and chopping bits of it up. The latest victim appears to be political programming

The dictator I particularly hate this week is President Musharraf. This afternoon I've taken part in a protest at the Pakistan High Commission where I made a speech and then joined the General Secretary of Amnesty International and the head of the UK bar Council in handing in a letter to the Deputy High Commissioner. Did a number of TV and other media interviews.


Pic: (C) Jess Hurd

Earlier in the day we had a 250-strong chapel meeting at The Guardian to discuss the latest progress in the negotiations over 24/7 multi-platform working. There was some welcome for some of the changes we have won and some anger about the company's failure to address others. The long and the short of it is - we're back at ACAS tomorrow.

Tonight I'm off to Acton Town Hall to pay tribute to one of my heroes - Joe Strummer - who died five years ago shortly after he and Mick Jones did an FBU solidarity gig at the same venue. Tonight's Arms Aloft in Acton gig promises to be brilliant.

A war of attrition..

I almost don't know what day it is and am feeling the effects of the lack of daylight thanks to some more marathon negotiating sessions at ACAS with The Guardian.

Tuesday morning I met early with the General Secretaries of the Federation of Entertainment Unions - Bectu, Musicians' Union, Equity - to discuss our forthcoming campaign plans and co-ordinating the work of our Parliamentary Groups.

Then it was on to ACAS for 11am and a whopping 14 hours of talks (calories consumed in the form of chocolate - 26,000,000 - or thereabouts). I'm still not allowed to say how talks are going - but they are still going on which is something. Left ACAS at 1am with an unwelcome invitation to return again on Wednesday.

This morning I did an interview for a college radio station about new media and the NUJ's work to protect terms and conditions for journalists working in the sector.

A quick meet up with the rest of the negotiating team in The Guardian dispute to review the latest letter from management before meeting the largest Chapel Committee in the smallest room possible. It was cozy - and productive - except they suggested we should go back to ACAS to seek some improvements in the current offer. No time to waste - go and grab a (very) strong coffee and a cab across to ACAs to resume talks. Both sides and the ACAS conciliator appear to have lost the will to carry on deep in to the night. So we present our case and current concerns and adjourn for the evening.

Now it's back to hundreds of emails (which in my dreams had vanished but which actually are just sitting waiting for me like an unwelcome stalker) and some healthy food.

Here, there and everywhere

In early to write the 'My Week' feature for Press Gazette - look out for it later this week at all good newsagents!

Welcomed Stephen Pearse our new Campaigns and Communications Officer to the NUJ before heading off to the Foreign Office to take part in a round-table on Colombia. Took the opportunity to highlight the cases of journalists and trade unionists detained without charge, forced in to exile or facing death threats and reiterated the call for the UK government to shift its emphasis from military aid to humanitarian assistance including projects to promote trade union and media freedoms.

Also issued another statement on the worsening situation for media in Pakistan which was picked up by The Guardian.

Spent the evening with members of the Commission on Multimedia Working editing our report which has become controversial before it's even published. Those who think they know what it says will be surprised and those who want to portray the NUJ as standing in the way of technology will be disappointed.

Refugee and asylum seeker journalists speak out

On Saturday I gave a speech at the union's first ever conference for asylum seeker and refugee members. It was a vibrant event with terrible stories of people forced to flee their countries as a result of threats to their life resulting from their work as journalists but also stories of the nightmare many faced trying to gain the right to stay in the UK.
Among journalists from Iraq, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, Iran, Congo, Nigeria, Algeria, Yemen and Cameroon the stories were much the same - years spent waiting to find out if they would be deported back to countries from which they were forced to flee.
The union has been doing a lot of work to help support such journalists through practical solidarity, training, help with compiling information for legal cases and so on. The conference which was also addressed by President Michelle Stanistreet and IFJ President Jim Boumelha was about how we can build on that work - and many good suggestions came forward.
I'm really proud the NUJ was the first UK union and probably first union in the International Federation of Journalists to actually change its rules to enable asylum seeker journalists to join as members.

I’ve seen the future – and it’s male

Ever one for being in tune with the feelings of Guardian journalists, management guru and former Nuts publisher Tim Brooks’ latest wheeze is to lay on a Christmas do for hacks at a gentleman’s club.

Ok, it’s not strictly at a gentleman’s club – it’s at Shoreditch Town Hall and it is a theme night – one of the theme rooms being a gentlemen’s club but even so...

21st century technology and 19th century values.

Through bleary eyes

Wednesday morning slightly bleary eyed after the late finish at ACAS I made a presentation to the reps from the three unions who represent our staff - the NUJ, GMB and SIPTU - about the planned changes to our staff pension scheme. I also wrote to all the scheme members setting out the planned changes and kicking off a 60-day consultation on the proposals.

Had a coffee with the new Evening Standard media reporter - it's always good to get to know those who cover our industry and had a meeting about ways to ensure the NUJ continues to reduce its own carbon footprint.

Finally had an evening off - and went with Paula to see Ojos de Brujo a fantastic band from Barcelona at the Camden Roundhouse. Brilliant!

Today it was time to report back to the Chapel Committee at The Guardian - and we secured unanimous backing of the stance we have taken at the negotiations so far.

As well as catching up with some mail/email found time to put out a statement on Pakistan (see www.nuj.org.uk)and begin to plan how we will support our colleagues there on the IFJ day of action planned for 15 November.



I also approved the application of the first NUJ member who has blogger as their job title. Whilst we have hundreds, if not thousands of members who write blogs, this is the first person who earns their entire living solely from freelance blogging. Who says we're not attracting new media workers? Membership in new media was up almost 11% over the past year.

Let them eat cake

Spent 14 hours at ACAS yesterday with Guardian management. I'm not allowed to say whether I'm optimistic or pessimistic or describe the talks as tortuous or not tortuous - so I won't.
However I believe I can reveal we did have to send out for curry at 7.30pm and a chocolate cake from Sainsbury's at 9pm. Home at 1.30am!

Prior to that I was at the office to welcome back Fiona Swarbrick our assistant organiser for magazines, books and PR who has been on a year-long career break. Thank you to Susannah Gill who filled in during Fiona's period of leave and welcome back to Fiona.

There's been lots more coverage of our Stand Up for Journalism events. Here's some of it.
Hold the Front Page
Press Gazette
Manchester Evening News
BBC News
New Europe
Grimmer up north blog
Indymedia Netherlands

Stand Up for Journalism - On Tour

Sunday 5pm - It's in to the office to sort out placards, pick up banners and put final preparations in place for our Stand Up for Journalism day.

Sunday 10pm - Cardiff - A quick drink and briefing with Lawrence Shaw our Assistant Organiser for Wales and Meic Birtwistle our NEC member in advance of a morning meeting at the National Assembly.

Monday 7.30am - Meet with members of the Wales Council. Hear news of more likely cuts at the Western Mail and Echo - looks like 16 journalists could face the chop.

Monday 8am - Meet with Rhodri Glynn Thomas the Welsh culture minister who is hosting a Stand Up for Journalism breakfast meeting. Get the chance to put our case against job cuts. Race from National Assembly to station. Just make the train to take me to Manchester. Write up report of Wales meeting.



12.30pm Manchester. Despite the driving rain 200 of us march from the Manchester Evening News to the Society of Editors conference and rally outside. The editors scurry away for their slap-up lunch - one comes out to support us. If only the others would get off their knees.

1.15pm - Society of Editors Chief Bob Satchwell waits until the protesters have gone - and then nips out to have a word with me. He assures me that they are discussing the very issues we are concerned about. Excuse me if I'm not reassured!

1.30pm - Rally at Friends' Meeting House in Manchester. Karen Reissman, an NHS whistleblower, sacked for speaking out, powerfully sets out the case for a strong, inquiring media. While she's speaking to us, MI5 are speaking to the Society of Editors! Judy Gordon from the Manchester Evening News and others highlight the real day to day problems facing their newsrooms as a result of ongoing cuts.

2.45pm - It's back on a train to London for President Michelle Stanistret and I and a chance to catch up what's been happening across the union. The news is brilliant. Big rally at the BBC, excellent lobby at Stormont and dozens of other events - it's clear it's been a bigger success than we imagined.

6.30pm - Rally number three - this time in London. It's standing room only and some unable to even get in the room are forced to retreat to the bar. BBC Newsnight's Paul Mason, John McDonnell MP, Tony Benn, TUC Deputy General Secretary Frances O'Grady, NUJ President Michelle Stanistreet and I speak to an enthusiastic gathering, bouyed up by the success of the day.



7.45pm - It's time to unwind as over 150 NUJ members and supporters from across the trade union movement eat, drink and some of them are even merry.

11pm - Lug the banners and posters back to the NUJ office and head for home.

A big thank you to all those chapels, branches, activists and staff who helped make our Stand Up for Journalism day such a success. But that's not the end of it, it's only the beginning. The hard work starts now...

In the words of Europe - It's the Final Countdown

The final envelopes have been stuffed, the final planning emails sent and the final plans put in place for our Stand Up for Journalism day on 5 November. I'm starting my day in Cardiff at 7.30am, then lunchtime in Manchester and back to London for a 6.30pm rally. It's been an intense few days of activity with part of my office becoming a glorified mailing room as we sent out more than 50,000 leaflets, thousands of posters, stickers, t-shirts and other campaign material - now we're just looking forward to the actual day.

here's yesterday's coverage of the campaign:
PR Week podcast
PR Week story
Hold The Front Page
Socialist Worker
Hotshoe International

Yesterday was the union's Finance Committee which deals with all financial (the clue is in the name!) and membership issues.
Our proposals for reform of the union's pension scheme were unanimously endorsed and there was a really good, practical discussion on the future of union communications as well as the need to rein in spending to meet budgets.

On the industrial front things took a turn for the worse at The Guardian with it becoming apparent the company are planning announcements and new shifts for individuals which would undermine our current negotiations. They would be wise to think again if there is to be any prospect of reaching a negotiated settlement of the dispute without us having to resort to industrial action - as our MoC Helene Mulholland pointed out to management when their plans were revealed.

On a brighter note, a much brighter note, over at AoL our members voted 100% in favour of industrial action and 96% for strike action in response to company redundancy proposals. The strength of the union's response has forced the company to back down and extend enhanced redundancy terms and agree to take volunteers. Congratulations to them.