Minutes of April meeting

Minutes of meeting on April 19

Present: Jemima Kiss, Adrian Colley, Adam Juniper, Rowan Dore, Doug Devaney, Fraser Addecott, Virginia Bridgewater, Linda Harrison, John Thompson.

1 Apologies: Barbara Wiseman, Karen Hoy, Steve Whitehead

2 New members elected

3 Minutes of March meeting - accepted, there were no items raised for further discussion.

4 Correspondence
i) Copy of Searchlight circulated. As were copies of Trade Union Friends of Searchlight newsletter.
ii) Meeting backed £50 donation in response to plea for cash from the Working Class Movement Library, Salford.

5 Officers' reports - Treasurer Adrian Colley said we had £1,336.23 in the bank.

6 ADM report. Rowan's report was accepted. Jemima said she and Rowan were diligent in attending the conference's business. She said it was exciting to meet people who are so committed to the trade union cause. NUJ President Jeremy Dear had been impressed by the branch's new website and wanted to talk about possibly developing the union's site on similar lines.

Jemima said she organised a meeting addressed by the technology editor of The Independent who knows his stuff and that one of the main highlights was a BBC speaker who gave a great speech, likening Beeb director-general Mark Thomson to a Rottweiler.

Rowan also mentioned the demand that local paper journalists be paid a minimum of £25,000 a year - which while desirable, was felt by the NEC (the union's chief decision-making body) to be an unrealistic expectation. He said that this was what journalists should aim for. Rowan said he hadn't realised how there was a whole block of people who more or less always back the NEC's view on issues debated at the ADM.

7 Chapel reports. Virginia said that even the Argus MD did not understand the proposed pay offer that Brighton Argus journalists have been offered. Pay rises offered ranged from 0 to 2.75%. Recent redundancies had seen Mac operators and a photographer - Alan Jones - made redundant and freelance photographers also faced cuts. Angry editorial recently boycotted the paper's 125th anniversary celebrations.

8 Branch reaffiliated to Justice for Colombia cause at a cost of £50.

9 June beach party. Meeting backed holding a party at Hove. Adrian Colley said he would look into obtaining a council licence etc. Final decision to be taken next month on party details. Fraser asked why that date was chosen and was told it would be instead of the monthly meeting and also had the advantage of possibly being the longest day of the year.

10 Any other business - Fraser and Virginia said they had attended a union-run international development campaign and they have established a project to encourage journalistic freedom in Colombia. They have a mentor from War on Want and asked the branch to back their, which they hope to develop with branch support.