Minutes
Present:
Fraser Addecott, Bipinchandra Mistry, Jon Kendrick, David Blackman, Jemima Kiss, Chris Baker, Virginia Bridgewater.
Apologies:
Adrian Colley
1 Argus/Newsquest
Members have asked management to recognise the union chapel. Managing Director has acknowledged receipt of the 6% pay claim, although he wouldn't answer it. Several new members have joined at Newsquest. Why aren't they here? Takes a while for new applications to be processed. Fraser leaving the Argus on Thursday 20th!
Brighton and Hove TUC Unemployed Workers Centre have written asking for donations for the Christmas party they run for kids. Last year the branch donated £25; this year the group voted unanimously to donate £50.
Membership applications approved for: four new members admitted.
2 Memos from the NUJ circular
Warning that Newsquest have apparently been asking staff to opt out of working time directive, which limits the amount of hours staff can work each week.
Anniversary of Miners' strike: Staffordshire Miners' Wives Association have requested donations for a plaque. Meeting decided not to donate as it was felt that this was more of a regional issue than a local one.
New legislation on employment rights for lesbian, gay and bi-sexual workers. Leaflets distributed.
Campaign still under way for the BBC to reinstate Adli and Abdulhadi two journalists that were unfairly dismissed.
Hands off Cuba campaign leaflets distributed.
Memo: Jeremy Dear has been re-elected as general secretary and Anita Halpin as treasurer.
3 Christmas party
The group unanimously agreed that £100 was a fair amount to spend on food for the event. They also voted in favour of finding a salsa teacher in favour of a magician, if one could be found for less than £100.
The group decided not to provide a free drink for guests as this would have been too expensive overall.
Nothing else left to sort out. Jemima will buy the food on the 9th and deliver it to the club. Fraser also asked that we buy some balloons and party streamers from that £100 and tie some balloons to the railings outside the club. They have to be red. Music is sorted, so we just have to turn up.
4 AOB
Chris wanted to formally thank Jon Kendrick for his hard work as joint-chairman last year and as chair for the two previous years. Jon added that Fraser had also done much for the branch in the last year.
Bipinchandra said that he had written to Adrian about possible funding for his next Gaza project. This should be dealt with at the next meeting.
Newsquest new leaflets had been produced to inform the public about the fair pay campaign. Recent union research had shown that members of the public estimated a journalist's salary at £25k nearly double the starting salary for junior staff.
Argus journalists are to leaflet the public outside Churchill Square and outside the Dyke Road Argus office on 6 December.
No December meeting.
