30 July 2005

Pay in the media pow-wow - free advice

HQ is holding a pay in the media summit on Saturday November 19 in London - the key event in bringing together the union's campaigns to end low pay.

The meeting is free but because of space restrictions and for catering needs they want to know need an idea who will be attending so people can register at endlowpay@nuj.org.uk

We've been sent a leaflet which says the day will concentrate on negotiating, equal pay claims, campaigning and drawing up a pay claim.

Further leaflets/advertising will be going out later but we wanted to give reps as much notice as possible of this important event in building our campaign against low pay.

So if you want to go, send that email!

29 July 2005

Coventry strike

Members at Coventry Newspapers - publishers of the Coventry Citizen, Bedworth Echo and the Evening Telegraph - have been forced to strike to win better pay.

Most seniors on the paper do not break the £19,000 wage barrier and owners Trinity Mirror made more than £200m proift last year.

We've been asked to help by one of three methods:

* Give cash - we got the plea yesterday, after the July meeting, and don't meet again for another 7/8 weeks so timing is bad. But if you can help send a cheque, payable to NUJ Coventry, to 41 Spencer Avenue CoventryCV5 6NQ.

*Send emails of support for the NUJ to sly-bailey@trinitymirror.com. She's the boss. Or click on the headline to access the NUJ's suggestedmodel letter to be sent to her.

*Invite strikers to a branch or chapel meeting. We may well do this for September!

28 July 2005

Top tips for freelancers!

The NUJ is running a one-day training course, called Essential Journalism at the Headland House HQ near King's Cross in London.

The course dates are: Monday 25th September from 10am - 4.30pm and Saturday 26th November from 10am - 4.30pm. If you wish to attend the course, please respond by email to training@nuj.org.uk

Also, one of the tutors - Humphrey Evans - would like to receive tips from any members who have attended his courses in the past. Email him at topwrite@hotmail.com

It's aimed at helping freelance journalists who find themselves caught up in freelancing without very much training or journalistic experience. Click on the headline to access more info on the national site. £65 for members.

The Zimbabwean newspaper

This month's meeting backed an annual subscription to the weekly Zimbabwean newspaper, at a cost of £42. The first copy's already arrived. It's a 24-page tabloid. If you want it I can chuck it in the post.

26 July 2005

Win Argus cash

Last week's meeting (details to follow) decide to try to stage an Argus solidarity evening in September. In fact this could, perhaps more properly, become a Local Paper solidarity evening instead given the number of Sussex papers represented in the branch.

Anyway, what better way to help pay for it could there be than to get the Argus to fund it. So why not try to win their £4,000 cash on offer next month. Register online by hitting the headline - which is also a link - and following the instructions. If any Argus hacks could oblige us by printing the daily numbers on the site then that would be very handy.

If your secretary wins, I promise all prize money will help us pay for a night out in Brighton.

25 July 2005

Brutal regime exposed

From Sussex Action for Peace:

The West is giving financial and military support to the Karimov regime in Uzbekistan, one of the most brutal regimes in the world.

Craig Murray, the former British ambassador to Uzbekistan, helped expose vicious human rights abuses by the US-funded regime of Islam Karimov.

He is now a prominent critic of Western policy in the region. Mr Murray will be speaking in Brighton next week: Uzbekistan and British foreign policy in Central Asia at 7.30pm – 9.00pm, on Thursday July 28 at the Hanover Room, Brighthelm, North Road. Free admission, donations welcome.

18 July 2005

Are you a pension trustee?

If so, then the TUC is offering fee membership and information to help you. It wants to help trustees as they steward trade unionists' retirement benefits.

Click on the headline to reach their website with news, guides, event details and policy papers.

17 July 2005

Spooks!

Circular from HQ plugs a new book by former MI5 spy Annie Machon. Spies, Lies and Whistleblower is even published by Sussex-based The Book Guild, of Lewes.

Annie, who addressed the branch at the same meeting David Shayler - her partner - spoke at several years ago, says the book is a damning indictment of MI5.

It lists crimes, misdemeanours and cover-ups by the service, and MI6, and says the intelligence community should be reformed to protect us from threats like Al Qaeda.

It's £17.95 a pop and credit card orders can be made on 01825 723398.

15 July 2005

July meeting - Tuesday 19th

Feel free to come up with suggestions to put on this month's agenda, as it will be the last chance to discuss issues for two months, given that there is no August meeting.

So far, only got two definite proposals - do we donate to the Grenada 17 cause (see below) and do we subscribe to the Zimbabwean?

14 July 2005

Last pic, promise!


Another one from the Midsummer meeting: from left Rowan again, Amanda Wilkins, Fraser Addecott and Bip Mistry, who is not breastfeeding baby Esme.

13 July 2005

Release the Grenada 17

The branch is being asked to back this year's annual delegate meeting's call for justice for the Grenada 17 - political prisoners jailed after the US invasion of the Caribbean country 22 years ago.

Click on the headline to access Amnesty International's 2003 article on the issue. Amnesty says the 17's trial was fatally flawed and wants their release or an independent trial. Some of the 17 are ill. Onne - former trade union leader Chalky Ventour - has cancer.

ADM voted unanimously to back the trade-union backed campaign and has given £500 to the Committee for Human Rights in Grenada UK. But unless a large number of people respond individually the target of £27,500 will not be reached. The 17 are getting free legal help but other legal costs will be met by any donations received.

Head office has circulated branches with a number of things they or individuals can do:

* Donate a sum. The branch will discuss next week.

* Publicise the case by passing on info (click on the headline for more) to friends, colleagues, trade unionists etc. Or write about it for your own publication, radio or TV station.

* Write to the Prime Minister of Grenada Dr Keith Mitchell urging their release. Or sign the online petition at http://www.petitiononline.com/grenad17/petition.html

* Join the Campaign for Human Rights in Grenada - £12 for individuals.

* Tell Paul Mackney, general secretary of NATFHE (pmackney@natfhe.org.uk) if you can help with an update of Bernard Coard's book How the West Indian child is made educationally subnormal in the British school system. Bernard Coard is one of the 17 and is a former deputy prime minister of Grenada,

05 July 2005

Argus cuts edition

... following relaunch 'fails to increase sales' - as reported by MediaGuardian on Wednesday.

02 July 2005

More Barbecue pics...



Fred Pipes' colourful shirt, James Morrison (of City College fame) approving the alcohol and Jemima wrestling with sweetcorn on a a windy June evening.



The venerable Adrian Colley, our branch sec.



The peculiarly large moon, as snapped by Fred Pipes.

01 July 2005

Designers needed

Branch member Liz McLaughlin is seeking freelance graphic designers. If anyone out there can help, get in touch!

"Worthing company seeks talented, accurate, efficient and reliable designers (preferably with subbing skills) to assist communications dept with ad hoc projects. The work mainly consists of corporate brochures, reports, leaflets and other support materials. "

For more information contact: emclaug1@mac.com