29 September 2007

FAO City College students

Thanks for listening yesterday. If you want to join the NUJ as a student member then here's where you go:

http://www.nujtraining.org.uk/studentreg.phtml

Keep an eye on this site for local events. Don't forget you are all invited to the Christmas party. Not sure when that is but come along whether you join the branch or not - it's a chance to talk to local journos and a good night out.

One message I really wanted to get over (and forgot to mention) was "please read your contract when you get a job". In my experience hardly anyone does and it can make a big difference and save a lot of time if you do this.

28 September 2007

Thank you

I am overwhelmed by the generosity shown to me on Wednesday and would like to thank everyone for my presents - you shouldn't have. But thanks anyway.

I shall be following Sussex events closely from my new home in Kyiv and wish everyone the very best. Good luck, the branch is in good hands and keep the faith.

26 September 2007

Today's agenda

BRIGHTON AND MID SUSSEX NUJ ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Minute's silence for branch Barbara Wiseman, 96, who died last month.

1 Apologies

2 New members - Raychel Harvey-Jones, Paul Farley, Jessica Bauldry, Simon Milham, Stephanie Jones.

3 Election of officers.

i) Chair
ii) Secretary
iii) Treasurer
iv) Welfare officer

4 Correspondence - copies of Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom mag available. Plea for donation to New Popular Weekly, paper of OPZZ trade union with 800,000 members. At risk of closure, facing right-wing government.

5 Affiliation to Justice for Colombia. We have been affiliated to this organisation which helps trade unionists in Colombia who run the gauntlet of death squads and
intimidation in the course of their duties

6 Nominations for National Executive Council. Anyone want to serve on the union's most powerful body. We can nominate for the regional seat - SE England, which has three reps, or for industrial sectors where we have members - eg book, magazines, broadcasting, freelance, new media. We have up until November 26 to make nominations.

7 Nominations for industrial councils - there are currently seats to fill on ethics council, freelance industrial council, new media IC, magazine and book IC and newspapers and agencies IC. If you want to stand we can nominate you today!

Annual Delegate Meeting-elected bodies - eg ethics council, equality council, journalist editorial board, women's TUC delegation, disabled members' council
committee of British national pensioners' convention, TUC delegations. We have until November 26 to make nominations. Please consider if you would like to serve on one of the union's decision/policy-forming bodies.

8 November 5th - Stand Up for Journalism day. What do we want to do?

9 Christmas party. What dates are preferred? Where shall we hold it?

10 Any other business

25 September 2007

Accounts for year ending September 30, 2007

The branch gets 5% of every member's subscription. We get this in the form of quarterly installments from HQ and this more than funds branch activities. We now have, as of August 31, £2,692.78 in the Unity Trust Bank.

This year we spent £1,350.57 and received £1,709.26. So we are in a healthy position in that we have twice as much money in the bank as we have spent in the last year. As a comparison, in the 12 months up to September 30, 2006 we spent £1,166.15 and received £1,821.40.

In the last year I wrote 16 cheques, itemised below. Branch running costs have been about 40% of expenditure and party costs have been around the same! The only unpaid bill is a cheque soon to be written to Rachael Glazier for costs she has incurred in the past few months and for which she has not yet made a claim.

Cheques paid out:
JFC affiliation - £50
Searchlight - £50
AGM costs of newsletter printing, after-meeting drinks, taxi for Barbara Wisemen - £42
AGM room hire - £34
Jemima Kiss for hire of web domain - £6.78
Deposit for Xmas party room hire - £40
Stamps - £115
Xmas party drinks bill - £202.40
CPBF subs - £25
Sundry items - envelopes, printing, wine for guest speaker - A Colley £20
500 stamps - £123.90
Wine for Andrew Crofts - £13.99
Rachael Glazier - £45
Adrian Colley - £440. Includes cost of food and drink for barbecue (£), drinks bill at Bedford Tavern (£159.40) and donation to NUJ Extra charity (£120). For convenience I paid NUJ Extra the
money raised from the raffle and then wrote myself a cheque for the barbie/drinks bill and charity payment.
500 stamps - £120
Photocopying - £22.50 - paid to R Glazier

Total £1,350.57

ADMINISTRATION = £543.17

Stamps £358.90
Room hire - £34
Web costs - £6.78
Other costs - photocopying, envelopes, taxi for member from AGM, presents for speakers - £143.49

CHARITY DONATION = £120

ENTERTAINMENTS £562.40

Xmas party £242.40
Summer barbie £160
Night in pub at postponed barbie - cost of drinks. £159.40

AFFILIATIONS = £125

Justice for Colombia - £50
Trade Union Friends of Searchlight - £50
Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom - £50
Income from HQ - £1,709.26

INCOME = 1,709.26

Four quarterly payments - £414.08; £402.10; £435.77; £457.31

24 September 2007

2007 annual meeting

The annual meeting this year will be later this month on September 26 in Brighton in the Stanmer Room at the Brighthelm Centre.

Joint secretary Adrian Colley is stepping down so the branch is likely to need new blood to help run affairs.

Please think about whether you can lend a hand. Last year I said helpers had to come forward or the branch would fold. As it turned the ultimatum worked and we have had three well-attended social events (Xmas party; barbie and Bedford Tavern drinking session) and several good speaker - Andrew Crofts, Joanne Mallon and Anthony Rowlinson come to mind - as a result.

Contact us if you need details on how to get there!

Simpson speaks

Beeb World Affairs editor John Simpson talks about his new book Not Quite World's End at The Venue in Quarry Lane, Chichester on Saturday October 13 at 8pm.

It takes an upbeat view of the globe's troubles. Tickets are £13.

23 September 2007

Tunney's triumph

Sussex-based NUJ member Sean Tunney has just had a book published - Labour and the Press 1972-2005.

It tells the story of how the Labour party transformed its relationship with the national press, allowing the emergence of New Labour.

It covers the party's overall development from the days of Harold Wilson, through its flirtation with Daily Mirror tycoon and thief Robert Maxwell to the approach of Tony Blair.

Sean is a lecturer at Roehampton College in London and has worked on the FT and on local newspapers in Crawley. It's published by Sussex Academic Press - call 01524 68765 for a copy. £40 hardback, £15 softback. Sean says it's so far selling better in the US than in the UK.

22 September 2007

Get involved!

If you want to serve on some of the NUJ committees then now's your chance. HQ are looking for people for, among others:

NUJ Extra (the union charity)
Disabled Members' Council
Standing Orders Committee
Committee of British National Pensioners' Convention
Equality Council
Journalist Editorial Advisory Board
Women's TUC delegation
TUC delegation

All the above are elected by a vote of delegates at next year's ADM in Belfast. If you want to be nominated by the branch then put your name forward and the branch can forward your candidacy. We can do this at this month's or next month's meeting.

21 September 2007

Justice for Colombia

We have a DVD on the situation faced by trade unionists in Colombia if anyone wants it. Reaffiliation ot the JFC campaign will be on Wednesday's agenda. You can also buy JFC Christmas cards, so get your order in early.

20 September 2007

CPBF magazines

Several copies of the July-August edition of Free Press - the journal of the Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom - available. Drop us a line if you want one. Issues covered include the CPBF's agm in July and the investigative journalism summer school held in London.

19 September 2007

More training

And these courses are free. The General Federation of Trade Unions is running 61 courses next year, all over the UK.

Too many to list but several are in London or Bedford. Accommodation, travel and meals are paid for by the trust.

Sample courses include dealing with bullying and harassment; pensions; courses for reps, building self esteem and assertiveness; public speaking; green issues; health and safety.

I repeat, these courses are FREE. So well worth a look. Booklet's available at Wednesday's meeting.

10 September 2007

ADM important dates

Early heads up for the annual delegate meeting in Belfast next April (3rd to 6th).

Deadlines are

November 26 for motions the branch might want to propose

February 1 for close of amendments/confirmation of motions/nominations of delegates

March 14 for close of online registration of delegates.

09 September 2007

Searchlight magazine

September's issue of the anti-fascist mag available. I can chuck it in the post. This month's accompanied by an Extra supplement on the Rock Against Racism music movement of the late 70s.

Guaranteed to bring a tear to the rheumy eye of ex-pun/reggae/ska aficionados.

04 September 2007

Union rep courses in Sussex

Sussex Downs college is running courses in Bognor and Newhaven.

Stepping up the Advanced course for Union Reps 10 days (10 x Wed 26th Sept to 5th Dec 2007)

Union Reps - stage 1. 10 days (10 x Fri 28th Sept to 7th Dec 2007)

Health and Safety - stage 1. 10 days (10 x Tues 25th Sept to 4th Dec 2007)

Next steps for Safety Reps. 10 days (10 x Thurs 27th Sept to 6th Dec 2007)

Union Learning Reps ‘Certificate’ courses:

ULR Module (Information Advice & Guidance) - 3 days (17th, 18th & 21st Sept ‘07)

Union Learning Reps - 5 days (5 x Mon 24th Sep to 29th Oct 2007)

ULR Module (Skills for Life) - 3 days (Mon 5th, 12th & 19th Nov 2007)

ULR Module (Working with Employers) - 3 days (Mon 26thNov,3rd&10thDec2007)

ULR Module (Information Advice & Guidance) - 3 days (17 - 19th Dec 2007)

Short ‘Award’ Courses

Tackling Work-related Stress - 3 days (10th – 12th Dec 2007)

Tackling Bullying at Work - 3 days (12th – 14th Dec 2007)

Grievance & Disciplinary - 3 days (17–19 Dec 2007)

1 year ‘Diploma’ courses

Certificate in Occupational Health & Safety - 1 year (36 x Wed 19th Sept 2007 to 9th Jul 2008)

Certificate in Employment Law - 1 year (36 x Thur 20th Sept 2007 to10th Jul 2008)

These are informal gatherings to get informed, exchange ideas and most importantly exchange contact details.

Union Reps Networking Event - Monday 22 Oct 2007 (11am to 2pm)

Health and Safety Reps Networking Event Thursday 8 Nov 2007 (2pm to 5pm)

Union Learning Reps Networking Event Thursday 18th Oct 2007 (9.30am to 12.30pm)

Don’t’ forget - if you have 14 Reps to train – their tutors can come to you! Visit the own website at; http://www.sussexdowns.ac.uk/unionlearn/

Not able to get to a classroom? Why not register for an ‘online’ unionlearn course?

Visit the national unionlearn website at; http://www.unionlearn.org.uk/courses/index.cfm