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17 November 2004
November meeting - Christmas party decided
Minutes
1 John Stephen, David Blackman, Philomene Ellis Williams, David Mepham, Daniel Collins and Linda Kennedy elected as new members
2 Correspondence - copies of Black Journalist and Searchlight were circulated.
3 Justice for Colombia was asking for donations - meeting decided to send £25.
4 There were no nominations put forward for consideration as delegates for the TUC Young Members' Conference in April.
5 Treasurer's report - Adrian Colley said we had about £1,470 in the bank.
6 Secretary's report - Adrian Colley said the Xmas party would be at the Cricketers Arms, Brighton in the upstairs room which was being provided at no cost to the union. A debate was then held about how much to spend on food and drink. Meeting decided not to have food and to underwrite £250 worth of free drinks on the night. It also backed inviting students from the Brighton Tech (or whatever it's called) journalism course via James Morrison and Gordon Scott.
7 Meeting backed renewal of affiliation to Trade Union Friends of Searchlight at cost of £50.
8 Members agreed to donate £25 to Manchester branch backed campaign to stop Pakistani journalist Mansoor Hassan being deported to Parkistan. Donation sent to fighting fund. Petition circulated.
1 John Stephen, David Blackman, Philomene Ellis Williams, David Mepham, Daniel Collins and Linda Kennedy elected as new members
2 Correspondence - copies of Black Journalist and Searchlight were circulated.
3 Justice for Colombia was asking for donations - meeting decided to send £25.
4 There were no nominations put forward for consideration as delegates for the TUC Young Members' Conference in April.
5 Treasurer's report - Adrian Colley said we had about £1,470 in the bank.
6 Secretary's report - Adrian Colley said the Xmas party would be at the Cricketers Arms, Brighton in the upstairs room which was being provided at no cost to the union. A debate was then held about how much to spend on food and drink. Meeting decided not to have food and to underwrite £250 worth of free drinks on the night. It also backed inviting students from the Brighton Tech (or whatever it's called) journalism course via James Morrison and Gordon Scott.
7 Meeting backed renewal of affiliation to Trade Union Friends of Searchlight at cost of £50.
8 Members agreed to donate £25 to Manchester branch backed campaign to stop Pakistani journalist Mansoor Hassan being deported to Parkistan. Donation sent to fighting fund. Petition circulated.
01 November 2004
November news
1 This month's meeting
We'll meet in the upstairs theatre room at the Sussex Arts Club which is at 7 Ship Street, Brighton, at 7.30pm on Wednesday, 17 November.
2 Christmas party
But the other date for diary is the Christmas party night next month. We've booked the upstairs room at the Cricketers' pub in Brighton for Thursday 9 December. The bar will be ours from 7.30pm until 11pm and we will be laying on food and possibly some drink. The pub's address is 15 Black Lion St, Brighton BN1 1ND. For those outside Brighton, it's very close to the seafront and there is an underground public car park in the same street. Please make a note of the date as we will not be sending out a reminder in the post (though a reminder email will be despatched), because your secretary won't have time to do so. An invite is enclosed with this mailout. As the branch's new chair, Jemima Kiss, says: it will be a good opportunity to remind ourselves how interesting other members can be.
3 New branch officers
The branch has a new chair - Jemima Kiss, who replaces Fraser Addecott - and a welfare officer for the first time - Virginia Bridgewater - after last month's Annual Meeting. Adrian Colley remains secretary and treasurer. We are still looking for a social secretary, so if anyone would like to take the job on, get in touch or pipe up at a meeting and the job could well be yours.
4 John Kendrick
On a tragic note, it is with great sorrow that the branch learnt that former branch chairman Jon Kendrick was found dead in Brighton last month. A man has been charged with his murder.
Jon was a stalwart attender at meetings and served the branch faithfully as chairman for two years as well as attending the union's Annual Delegate Meeting on behalf of members. During his stint as chairman he helped run the branch at a difficult time, stepping into the secretary's shoes to ensure meetings went ahead. A former radio journalist in London and the ex-lecturer at Highbury Journalism College in Portsmouth he knew the industry inside out and his death has come as a shock to everyone who knew and liked him. We have no news on when his funeral is to be held. A minute's silence will be held at next month's meeting to commemorate his memory.
5 Branch membership
You may have read that NUJ membership has climbed by 4,000 nationally in the last five years. Well, Brighton and Mid Sussex has been no exception to the rule and in the last two months we've broken the 200 barrier for the first time and have about 210 members. That's quite a big leap from 1998 when we had something like 80 members when the branch was relaunched.
6 To be discussed...
Items on the agenda for this month's meeting include whether to re-affiliate to anti-fascist group Searchlight; a petition to support the public funding of the BBC; a request to support staff striking in Manchester in protest at changes at the Evening News, owned by the same company that owns The Guardian. We'll also be discussing how much to spend on this year's Christmas festivities, so if you have an opinion on that, let's hear it.
7 TUC Young Members' Conference
Does anyone want to attend the 2005 TUC Young Members' Conference? It's in early April in Newcastle. The NUJ can send four delegates and is asking branches to nominate members who might want to take part. You must be under 27 on 1 April 2005. Anyone interested should contact adecolley@1927club.com or make their interest known at this month's meeting.
8 Ethics Council Conference
The union's Ethics Council Conference is being held on Saturday, 4 December at the University of Westminster, London. Speakers include our president Jeremy Dear, Sir Christopher Meyer of the Press Complaints Commission and John Lloyd editor of the FT magazine. It's open to members but free places at the event have to be booked in advance – email jpt@mediawise.org.uk.
The themes of the event include: how to encourage journalists to be ethical and who sets the standards and how forms of regulation can help strengthen trust in journalism.
8 Workplace reps
The union has launched a two-year drive to improve support to workplace reps. It intends to launch an online pay database and publish a reps' manual for example, as well as tailor training to meet reps' needs better. More information on the Reps Matter survey can be seen at www.nuj.org.
9 PLEASE - sign up for email news
Finally, the usual appeal for members to think about receiving updates via email rather than in the post. Unfortunately, despite the record number of members, only one can be found to do the newsletter, admin, posting etc so any help in reducing the workload is appreciated. About 50 people receive branch information via email, which saves a fair bit of cash. During the last three years we have been able to donate hundreds to charitable causes and to causes worth fighting eg anti-fascist organisation Searchlight as a result of the money we've been able to save on admin costs.
We'll meet in the upstairs theatre room at the Sussex Arts Club which is at 7 Ship Street, Brighton, at 7.30pm on Wednesday, 17 November.
2 Christmas party
But the other date for diary is the Christmas party night next month. We've booked the upstairs room at the Cricketers' pub in Brighton for Thursday 9 December. The bar will be ours from 7.30pm until 11pm and we will be laying on food and possibly some drink. The pub's address is 15 Black Lion St, Brighton BN1 1ND. For those outside Brighton, it's very close to the seafront and there is an underground public car park in the same street. Please make a note of the date as we will not be sending out a reminder in the post (though a reminder email will be despatched), because your secretary won't have time to do so. An invite is enclosed with this mailout. As the branch's new chair, Jemima Kiss, says: it will be a good opportunity to remind ourselves how interesting other members can be.
3 New branch officers
The branch has a new chair - Jemima Kiss, who replaces Fraser Addecott - and a welfare officer for the first time - Virginia Bridgewater - after last month's Annual Meeting. Adrian Colley remains secretary and treasurer. We are still looking for a social secretary, so if anyone would like to take the job on, get in touch or pipe up at a meeting and the job could well be yours.
4 John Kendrick
On a tragic note, it is with great sorrow that the branch learnt that former branch chairman Jon Kendrick was found dead in Brighton last month. A man has been charged with his murder.
Jon was a stalwart attender at meetings and served the branch faithfully as chairman for two years as well as attending the union's Annual Delegate Meeting on behalf of members. During his stint as chairman he helped run the branch at a difficult time, stepping into the secretary's shoes to ensure meetings went ahead. A former radio journalist in London and the ex-lecturer at Highbury Journalism College in Portsmouth he knew the industry inside out and his death has come as a shock to everyone who knew and liked him. We have no news on when his funeral is to be held. A minute's silence will be held at next month's meeting to commemorate his memory.
5 Branch membership
You may have read that NUJ membership has climbed by 4,000 nationally in the last five years. Well, Brighton and Mid Sussex has been no exception to the rule and in the last two months we've broken the 200 barrier for the first time and have about 210 members. That's quite a big leap from 1998 when we had something like 80 members when the branch was relaunched.
6 To be discussed...
Items on the agenda for this month's meeting include whether to re-affiliate to anti-fascist group Searchlight; a petition to support the public funding of the BBC; a request to support staff striking in Manchester in protest at changes at the Evening News, owned by the same company that owns The Guardian. We'll also be discussing how much to spend on this year's Christmas festivities, so if you have an opinion on that, let's hear it.
7 TUC Young Members' Conference
Does anyone want to attend the 2005 TUC Young Members' Conference? It's in early April in Newcastle. The NUJ can send four delegates and is asking branches to nominate members who might want to take part. You must be under 27 on 1 April 2005. Anyone interested should contact adecolley@1927club.com or make their interest known at this month's meeting.
8 Ethics Council Conference
The union's Ethics Council Conference is being held on Saturday, 4 December at the University of Westminster, London. Speakers include our president Jeremy Dear, Sir Christopher Meyer of the Press Complaints Commission and John Lloyd editor of the FT magazine. It's open to members but free places at the event have to be booked in advance – email jpt@mediawise.org.uk.
The themes of the event include: how to encourage journalists to be ethical and who sets the standards and how forms of regulation can help strengthen trust in journalism.
8 Workplace reps
The union has launched a two-year drive to improve support to workplace reps. It intends to launch an online pay database and publish a reps' manual for example, as well as tailor training to meet reps' needs better. More information on the Reps Matter survey can be seen at www.nuj.org.
9 PLEASE - sign up for email news
Finally, the usual appeal for members to think about receiving updates via email rather than in the post. Unfortunately, despite the record number of members, only one can be found to do the newsletter, admin, posting etc so any help in reducing the workload is appreciated. About 50 people receive branch information via email, which saves a fair bit of cash. During the last three years we have been able to donate hundreds to charitable causes and to causes worth fighting eg anti-fascist organisation Searchlight as a result of the money we've been able to save on admin costs.
20 October 2004
October Annual General Meeting - election of officers
Minutes
Present
Virginia Bridgewater, Adrian Colley, Jemima Kiss, Mike O'Flynn, Claire Rigby, Damien Barr
Apologies
Fraser Addecott, Steve Whitehead
1 Minutes
Minutes of the September meeting were accepted.
2 New members
Several new members were admitted to the branch.
3 Election of officials
Chair – Jemima Kiss elected, proposed by Virginia Bridgewater, seconded by Adrian Colley.
Treasurer – Adrian Colley elected, proposed by Claire Rigby, seconded by Jemima Kiss.
Secretary – Adrian Colley elected, proposed by Claire Rigby, seconded by Virginia Bridgewater.
Welfare Officer – Virginia Bridgewater, proposed Jemima Kiss, seconded by Adrian Colley.
4 Correspondence
Copies of Searchlight and Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom pamphlets were handed out.
5 Officers' reports
Treasurer Adrian Colley reported that we had £1,265.10 in the bank.
6 Chapel reports
Argus: Virginia Bridgewater said Argus journalists, who won union recognition in the summer, had submitted a 6% pay claim to their bosses. The recent departure of Simon Bradshaw as Argus editor had not been universally welcomed in the office and management had threatened staff if they wrote to the UK Press Gazette. Sales of the Argus have slipped since the relaunch.
7 ADM motions
There were no motions to be submitted to next year's Annual Delegate Meeting in April.
8 NEC nominations
There were no nominations to stand for election as South East representative on the NUJ's National Executive Committee.
9 Christmas Party
Ideas for the form and venue of this year's party were canvassed. Claire Rigby suggested the Cricketers' pub in Brighton. Damien Barr suggested a Thursday night as the best night of the week on which to hold it and that 2 December would be the pick of the December Thursdays. And the Tzar Bar on Brighton seafront was also suggested. The idea of a possible joint party with Evening Argus was floated. The meeting agreed that Adrian Colley could research and, if necessary, book a venue for the event.
10 Any other business
Adrian Colley mentioned that former chairman Jon Kendrick had been murdered a week earlier. The meeting agreed to his suggestion that if the funeral was held and he was able to attend, that the branch would underwrite the cost of a wreath.
Contact adecolley@1927club.com if you would rather receive mailings by email.
Present
Virginia Bridgewater, Adrian Colley, Jemima Kiss, Mike O'Flynn, Claire Rigby, Damien Barr
Apologies
Fraser Addecott, Steve Whitehead
1 Minutes
Minutes of the September meeting were accepted.
2 New members
Several new members were admitted to the branch.
3 Election of officials
Chair – Jemima Kiss elected, proposed by Virginia Bridgewater, seconded by Adrian Colley.
Treasurer – Adrian Colley elected, proposed by Claire Rigby, seconded by Jemima Kiss.
Secretary – Adrian Colley elected, proposed by Claire Rigby, seconded by Virginia Bridgewater.
Welfare Officer – Virginia Bridgewater, proposed Jemima Kiss, seconded by Adrian Colley.
4 Correspondence
Copies of Searchlight and Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom pamphlets were handed out.
5 Officers' reports
Treasurer Adrian Colley reported that we had £1,265.10 in the bank.
6 Chapel reports
Argus: Virginia Bridgewater said Argus journalists, who won union recognition in the summer, had submitted a 6% pay claim to their bosses. The recent departure of Simon Bradshaw as Argus editor had not been universally welcomed in the office and management had threatened staff if they wrote to the UK Press Gazette. Sales of the Argus have slipped since the relaunch.
7 ADM motions
There were no motions to be submitted to next year's Annual Delegate Meeting in April.
8 NEC nominations
There were no nominations to stand for election as South East representative on the NUJ's National Executive Committee.
9 Christmas Party
Ideas for the form and venue of this year's party were canvassed. Claire Rigby suggested the Cricketers' pub in Brighton. Damien Barr suggested a Thursday night as the best night of the week on which to hold it and that 2 December would be the pick of the December Thursdays. And the Tzar Bar on Brighton seafront was also suggested. The idea of a possible joint party with Evening Argus was floated. The meeting agreed that Adrian Colley could research and, if necessary, book a venue for the event.
10 Any other business
Adrian Colley mentioned that former chairman Jon Kendrick had been murdered a week earlier. The meeting agreed to his suggestion that if the funeral was held and he was able to attend, that the branch would underwrite the cost of a wreath.
Contact adecolley@1927club.com if you would rather receive mailings by email.
15 September 2004
September meeting - smallest yet!
Minutes
Present
Rowan Dore, Jemima Kiss, Barbara Wiseman
Apologies
Adrian Colley, Fraser Addecott
Membership applications from Kitty Bale, Michael O'Flynn, Isobel Todd, Sally Gainsbury, Robin Emanuel approved.
Rest of meeting abandoned due to low turnout. It was unfortunate – and rather embarrassing – that the three of us were joined by no less than seven members of Justice for Colombia who arrived early to speak to our branch, fresh from their fringe meeting at the Trades Union Congress.
Other business
Questionnaires on how to improve our branch meetings: 13 received so far. Your comments would be helpful, so please send your completed questionnaires by post before 10 October to Adrian Colley, 35 Campbell Road, Brighton BN1 4QD. If you need another questionnaire or would like to be emailed a copy, please email jemima@journalism.co.uk.
Branch account balance is £1358.10.
The branch has received a copy of the NUJ petition to support the BBC. Please attend the next meeting on 20 October if you wish to sign this.
The NUJ has published ethical guidelines and working practices for journalists working in PR and information services. More information will be available at the next meeting.
The European Social Forum takes place 15-17 October: three days of international debate, celebration and protest. The NUJ has played a major role in organising the event and speakers include Tony Benn, George Monbiot and Jeremy dear. Tickets are £30 (£20 concessions); see http://www.fse-esf.org for more details.
Age discrimination at work seminar: 12 October, 1.30pm to 4.15pm at the NATFHE Centre, Britannia Street, London WC1. Contact the Institute of Employment Rights for more information on 020 7498 6119.
TUFS – Trade Union Friends of Searchlight: Ten copies available for members at the next meeting.
Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom: Our branch subscription runs out next month!
Searchlight: copy available at next meeting.
The Palestine Post: copy available at next meeting.
Present
Rowan Dore, Jemima Kiss, Barbara Wiseman
Apologies
Adrian Colley, Fraser Addecott
Membership applications from Kitty Bale, Michael O'Flynn, Isobel Todd, Sally Gainsbury, Robin Emanuel approved.
Rest of meeting abandoned due to low turnout. It was unfortunate – and rather embarrassing – that the three of us were joined by no less than seven members of Justice for Colombia who arrived early to speak to our branch, fresh from their fringe meeting at the Trades Union Congress.
Other business
Questionnaires on how to improve our branch meetings: 13 received so far. Your comments would be helpful, so please send your completed questionnaires by post before 10 October to Adrian Colley, 35 Campbell Road, Brighton BN1 4QD. If you need another questionnaire or would like to be emailed a copy, please email jemima@journalism.co.uk.
Branch account balance is £1358.10.
The branch has received a copy of the NUJ petition to support the BBC. Please attend the next meeting on 20 October if you wish to sign this.
The NUJ has published ethical guidelines and working practices for journalists working in PR and information services. More information will be available at the next meeting.
The European Social Forum takes place 15-17 October: three days of international debate, celebration and protest. The NUJ has played a major role in organising the event and speakers include Tony Benn, George Monbiot and Jeremy dear. Tickets are £30 (£20 concessions); see http://www.fse-esf.org for more details.
Age discrimination at work seminar: 12 October, 1.30pm to 4.15pm at the NATFHE Centre, Britannia Street, London WC1. Contact the Institute of Employment Rights for more information on 020 7498 6119.
TUFS – Trade Union Friends of Searchlight: Ten copies available for members at the next meeting.
Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom: Our branch subscription runs out next month!
Searchlight: copy available at next meeting.
The Palestine Post: copy available at next meeting.
Justice for Colombia speak to the NUJ
Liam Craig-Best, Tom Feiling and Oliver Houston of Justice for Colombia brought Hernando Hernandez to speak. Hernando is the president of the Colombian USO (oil workers' union) and has become a national hero in Colombia – their own Nelson Mandela – after numerous assassination attempts and 14 months under house arrest for his union activities.
Hernando spoke about President Uribe's regime and how the 'war on terror' has been used as an excuse to clamp down on trade unionists, claiming that they are collaborating with Colombia's guerrilla forces. The government wants to weaken the unions by removing their leaders, leaving US-controlled firms, such as Exxon and BP, in control of Colombia's lucrative oil industry. Some union leaders have been imprisoned for five to six years with no charge, and 1,500 trade unionists have been assassinated in Colombia in the past ten years.
Teachers and health workers, who are seen as community leaders, are also targeted by Uribe's military forces. Uribe is supported by the US, UK and Israeli governments only; Spain withdrew its support when Zapatero's government came to power in March this year. Justice for Colombia say that the regime displaces 650 Colombians every day, and kills 7,000 civilians every year.
Hernando was in the UK for just three weeks and also spoke at the Welsh Assembly, Amnesty International Newport, Northern TUC International Forum, at public meetings in Manchester and Glasgow and at the Labour Party conference.
Jeremy Dear, general secretary of the UJ, is vice chair of Justice for Colombia.
For more information on their campaigns, or to donate more to Justice for Colombia, please visit justiceforcolombia.org.
Hernando spoke about President Uribe's regime and how the 'war on terror' has been used as an excuse to clamp down on trade unionists, claiming that they are collaborating with Colombia's guerrilla forces. The government wants to weaken the unions by removing their leaders, leaving US-controlled firms, such as Exxon and BP, in control of Colombia's lucrative oil industry. Some union leaders have been imprisoned for five to six years with no charge, and 1,500 trade unionists have been assassinated in Colombia in the past ten years.
Teachers and health workers, who are seen as community leaders, are also targeted by Uribe's military forces. Uribe is supported by the US, UK and Israeli governments only; Spain withdrew its support when Zapatero's government came to power in March this year. Justice for Colombia say that the regime displaces 650 Colombians every day, and kills 7,000 civilians every year.
Hernando was in the UK for just three weeks and also spoke at the Welsh Assembly, Amnesty International Newport, Northern TUC International Forum, at public meetings in Manchester and Glasgow and at the Labour Party conference.
Jeremy Dear, general secretary of the UJ, is vice chair of Justice for Colombia.
For more information on their campaigns, or to donate more to Justice for Colombia, please visit justiceforcolombia.org.
21 July 2004
July meeting - Argus recognition one step closer
Minutes
Present
Fraser Addecott, Virginia Bridgewater, Adrian Colley, Jemima Kiss, David Blackman, Gordon Scott, Steve Whitehead, Rowan Dore, Jon Kendrick, Nicky Sullivan.
Apologies
Karen Hoy
1 Minutes
June minutes accepted.
2 New members
Several new members were admitted to the branch.
3 Correspondence
A letter from Justice for Colombia, thanking us for affiliating to the cause was handed round. The monthly copy of anti-fascist magazine Searchlight was also available.
4 Officer's reports
Treasurer Adrian Colley said we had £1,269.55 in the bank.
5 Chapel reports
Argus: Rowan Dore said the hot-off-the-press news was that union recognition had been won at the Argus that very day. The ballot had 100% support in favour of the NUJ representation on issues like pay and conditions. Discussions about a pay claim would be held in August at a Newsquest group chapel meeting. Rowan said some staff at the paper were on a pittance. He paid tribute to the hard work of Karen Hoy, the Mother of the Chapel.
6 Donations
The branch gave £100 to the Brighton and Hove Unemployed Workers Centre towards the cost of a summer outing for children in need. The outing, on the Bluebell Railway in East Sussex, was for kids whose parents are sick, out of work or on low income.
A donation of £60 was also agreed towards the cost of a national conference for freelance activists. This hopes to promote collective organisation of freelance members.
The meeting was followed by a talk from a speaker from the Cuba Solidarity Campaign.
Present
Fraser Addecott, Virginia Bridgewater, Adrian Colley, Jemima Kiss, David Blackman, Gordon Scott, Steve Whitehead, Rowan Dore, Jon Kendrick, Nicky Sullivan.
Apologies
Karen Hoy
1 Minutes
June minutes accepted.
2 New members
Several new members were admitted to the branch.
3 Correspondence
A letter from Justice for Colombia, thanking us for affiliating to the cause was handed round. The monthly copy of anti-fascist magazine Searchlight was also available.
4 Officer's reports
Treasurer Adrian Colley said we had £1,269.55 in the bank.
5 Chapel reports
Argus: Rowan Dore said the hot-off-the-press news was that union recognition had been won at the Argus that very day. The ballot had 100% support in favour of the NUJ representation on issues like pay and conditions. Discussions about a pay claim would be held in August at a Newsquest group chapel meeting. Rowan said some staff at the paper were on a pittance. He paid tribute to the hard work of Karen Hoy, the Mother of the Chapel.
6 Donations
The branch gave £100 to the Brighton and Hove Unemployed Workers Centre towards the cost of a summer outing for children in need. The outing, on the Bluebell Railway in East Sussex, was for kids whose parents are sick, out of work or on low income.
A donation of £60 was also agreed towards the cost of a national conference for freelance activists. This hopes to promote collective organisation of freelance members.
The meeting was followed by a talk from a speaker from the Cuba Solidarity Campaign.
14 June 2004
June meeting - attendance crisis talks!
Minutes
Present
Barbara Wiseman, Fraser Addecott, Karen Hoy, Virginia Bridgewater, Chris Baker, plus two who don't normally attend (names unavailable) and two Brighton College students.
1 Yvonne Ridley cancels
Yvonne Ridley had been booked to speak at today's meeting but cancelled at lunchtime citing personal reasons. MANY APOLOGIES TO ALL THOSE BRANCH MEMBERS THAT WERE DISAPPOINTED – BUT THANK YOU FOR TURNING UP ANYWAY! It was particularly unfortunate that Yvonne could not come to this event -after the plaintive message in last month's note! To add to the confusion, staff at the Brighthelm centre were quite disorganised. Rowan Dore very kindly arranged for Brighton councillor Ken Bodfish to speak on the relationship between the press and local government in her place, but only six members were had arrived by 8pm so we rang him and asked if we could reschedule for another time. He wanted to watch the football anyway...
Two students from City College's journalism courses turned up. Although they were disappointed that Yvonne had cancelled, they did say that they are interested in future events but that there should be better promoted. One student also said that she had tried to join the NUJ but found the website difficult to navigate and no-one at her college seemed to know much about it.
2 Ideas to encourage better turnout
A couple more members arrived and the meeting turned to address the subject of low turnout. Members discussed ideas for themed meetings, ideas for speakers, reasons for low turn-out (including which day of the week would be best) and also what the point of the branch is overall.
Members agreed that good speakers are needed to boost attendance which means that we can attract better speakers.
Jemima suggested we could spruce up the website and add a free bulk emailing programme. This could allow members to automatically update their email address and would list bounced emails, etc etc.
Ideas for themed evenings included:
a) An Argus evening to encourage recruitment and provide support for current staff; a meeting specifically designed to introduce young or new journalists or students to the NUJ.
b) Jeremy could come and speak, we could provide some introductory info on the union, invite all local/regional news courses etc.
c) A meeting for freelancers with, perhaps, an experienced freelance talking about their work, a workshop on how to find work or start out as a freelancer and some union advice on working as a freelance. (Ask John Toner to attend?)
d) A session on training courses would be also be useful. The NUJ contact is Linda King.
Virginia asked if Jemima could mention the meetings on the freelancejournalism.com email discussion list.
Fraser asked the group what the actually point of the branch is. He suggested that a joint project might give the group some purpose and something to work towards, and used the Zimbabwean journalists' request for laptops as an example. The branch could work on raising funds for equipment, for example. Jemima suggested a sponsored swim (or a sponsored anything!) might be an easy way to start! Barbara said that the forum for elderly people is a good cause. Jemima said a 'cause' would also be a good way of getting everyone to know each other.
Speakers could be quarterly, which would allow more promotion to encourage attendance to meetings by building up awareness about events for 2 months beforehand. Quarterly meetings could also be tied in with news diaries, such as conference season.
David suggested that the branch could explore webcasting events so that other members could watch without attending in person. (This would involve videoing the event and broadcasting it through a broadband web connection.)
Karen Hoy updated the group on recognition for the Argus chapel. After an ACAS meeting at Headland House between Karen, Martin Willis, Don Mackglew and (I think) Simon Bradshaw they had agreed a bargaining unit of 69 people. Staff are being asked to return completed forms by 7 July.
Branch agrees that questionnaire would be the best way to ask members what they feel about branch meetings and what would be useful or more interesting for them Jemima will prepare one to be approved for the July meeting and to then be distributed with the branch mailshot.
A branch picnic had been suggested for August but Jemima is unwilling to organise (and attend) if most of the branch can't or won't attend. This question will be added to the questionnaire, along with asking members to RSVP to events so we can assess interest in different types of speakers and meetings.
Is the Arts Club the right venue?
Barbara Wiseman also asked the branch to commend Jemima for efforts in organising speakers.
Present
Barbara Wiseman, Fraser Addecott, Karen Hoy, Virginia Bridgewater, Chris Baker, plus two who don't normally attend (names unavailable) and two Brighton College students.
1 Yvonne Ridley cancels
Yvonne Ridley had been booked to speak at today's meeting but cancelled at lunchtime citing personal reasons. MANY APOLOGIES TO ALL THOSE BRANCH MEMBERS THAT WERE DISAPPOINTED – BUT THANK YOU FOR TURNING UP ANYWAY! It was particularly unfortunate that Yvonne could not come to this event -after the plaintive message in last month's note! To add to the confusion, staff at the Brighthelm centre were quite disorganised. Rowan Dore very kindly arranged for Brighton councillor Ken Bodfish to speak on the relationship between the press and local government in her place, but only six members were had arrived by 8pm so we rang him and asked if we could reschedule for another time. He wanted to watch the football anyway...
Two students from City College's journalism courses turned up. Although they were disappointed that Yvonne had cancelled, they did say that they are interested in future events but that there should be better promoted. One student also said that she had tried to join the NUJ but found the website difficult to navigate and no-one at her college seemed to know much about it.
2 Ideas to encourage better turnout
A couple more members arrived and the meeting turned to address the subject of low turnout. Members discussed ideas for themed meetings, ideas for speakers, reasons for low turn-out (including which day of the week would be best) and also what the point of the branch is overall.
Members agreed that good speakers are needed to boost attendance which means that we can attract better speakers.
Jemima suggested we could spruce up the website and add a free bulk emailing programme. This could allow members to automatically update their email address and would list bounced emails, etc etc.
Ideas for themed evenings included:
a) An Argus evening to encourage recruitment and provide support for current staff; a meeting specifically designed to introduce young or new journalists or students to the NUJ.
b) Jeremy could come and speak, we could provide some introductory info on the union, invite all local/regional news courses etc.
c) A meeting for freelancers with, perhaps, an experienced freelance talking about their work, a workshop on how to find work or start out as a freelancer and some union advice on working as a freelance. (Ask John Toner to attend?)
d) A session on training courses would be also be useful. The NUJ contact is Linda King.
Virginia asked if Jemima could mention the meetings on the freelancejournalism.com email discussion list.
Fraser asked the group what the actually point of the branch is. He suggested that a joint project might give the group some purpose and something to work towards, and used the Zimbabwean journalists' request for laptops as an example. The branch could work on raising funds for equipment, for example. Jemima suggested a sponsored swim (or a sponsored anything!) might be an easy way to start! Barbara said that the forum for elderly people is a good cause. Jemima said a 'cause' would also be a good way of getting everyone to know each other.
Speakers could be quarterly, which would allow more promotion to encourage attendance to meetings by building up awareness about events for 2 months beforehand. Quarterly meetings could also be tied in with news diaries, such as conference season.
David suggested that the branch could explore webcasting events so that other members could watch without attending in person. (This would involve videoing the event and broadcasting it through a broadband web connection.)
Karen Hoy updated the group on recognition for the Argus chapel. After an ACAS meeting at Headland House between Karen, Martin Willis, Don Mackglew and (I think) Simon Bradshaw they had agreed a bargaining unit of 69 people. Staff are being asked to return completed forms by 7 July.
Branch agrees that questionnaire would be the best way to ask members what they feel about branch meetings and what would be useful or more interesting for them Jemima will prepare one to be approved for the July meeting and to then be distributed with the branch mailshot.
A branch picnic had been suggested for August but Jemima is unwilling to organise (and attend) if most of the branch can't or won't attend. This question will be added to the questionnaire, along with asking members to RSVP to events so we can assess interest in different types of speakers and meetings.
Is the Arts Club the right venue?
Barbara Wiseman also asked the branch to commend Jemima for efforts in organising speakers.
19 May 2004
Roy Greenslade speaks...
Rowan Dore wrote up this short account of May 2004's speaker's visit:
Former editor of the Daily Mirror Roy Greenslade, now a media commentator or as Karen Hoy of The Argus describes him 'a media icon', was the guest speaker at our May meeting.
It was a timely opportunity to hear the views of the former Argus sub editor and NUJ activist as days earlier one of his predecessors , Piers Morgan had been sacked for publishing fake photographs of Iraqi prisoners being tortured.
Roy said he would not have published the photographs had he still been editing the paper as he was 'too cautious'. He said picture editors on national papers had immediately spotted the pictures were faked and staged.
Roy said he believed Piers would have kept his job had he admitted the pictures were fake after a couple of days. 'It was his continued insistence that the pictures were genuine that was his downfall'. Roy denied that he 'sold out' his union beliefs as he moved up the journalism management tree, first as managing edior of the Sunday Times and then editor of The Mirror.
He told of his time as editor of the Mirror under Robert Maxwell, talking about the interference of Maxwell during the 14 months he edited the Mirror between 1990 and 1991, eventually parting company with a large pay off.
Roy went on to write a best-selling book Maxwell's Fall after Bob Maxwell's death in November 1991. Roy in answer to a question from Sam Thomson of The Argus said he was surprised the new-look paper was targeting 35-year-old women with kids as the ideal reader. 'If The Argus is, then it is not that evident. I believe it is stupid for what is still basically an evening paper to concentrate on one group of readers.
'I don't think there are enough 35-year-old women married women with two kids living in Brighton to make that marketing ploy a success. The Standard has made a success of a niche market but there are more people living in the Standard's circulation area'.
The former Mirror editor said he believed the number of national newspaper titles would remain the same for the next few years.
Former editor of the Daily Mirror Roy Greenslade, now a media commentator or as Karen Hoy of The Argus describes him 'a media icon', was the guest speaker at our May meeting.
It was a timely opportunity to hear the views of the former Argus sub editor and NUJ activist as days earlier one of his predecessors , Piers Morgan had been sacked for publishing fake photographs of Iraqi prisoners being tortured.
Roy said he would not have published the photographs had he still been editing the paper as he was 'too cautious'. He said picture editors on national papers had immediately spotted the pictures were faked and staged.
Roy said he believed Piers would have kept his job had he admitted the pictures were fake after a couple of days. 'It was his continued insistence that the pictures were genuine that was his downfall'. Roy denied that he 'sold out' his union beliefs as he moved up the journalism management tree, first as managing edior of the Sunday Times and then editor of The Mirror.
He told of his time as editor of the Mirror under Robert Maxwell, talking about the interference of Maxwell during the 14 months he edited the Mirror between 1990 and 1991, eventually parting company with a large pay off.
Roy went on to write a best-selling book Maxwell's Fall after Bob Maxwell's death in November 1991. Roy in answer to a question from Sam Thomson of The Argus said he was surprised the new-look paper was targeting 35-year-old women with kids as the ideal reader. 'If The Argus is, then it is not that evident. I believe it is stupid for what is still basically an evening paper to concentrate on one group of readers.
'I don't think there are enough 35-year-old women married women with two kids living in Brighton to make that marketing ploy a success. The Standard has made a success of a niche market but there are more people living in the Standard's circulation area'.
The former Mirror editor said he believed the number of national newspaper titles would remain the same for the next few years.
19 April 2004
April meeting - Argus gets organised
Minutes
Present
Jemima Kiss, David Blackman, Veronica Bridgewater, Karen Hoy, Wale Azeez, Bipinchandra Mistry, John O'Donoghue, Adam Juniper, Deborah Tucknott, Brendan Montague, Steve Whitehead, Rowan Dore, Adrian Colley, Chris Langdon, Chris Baker, Fraser Addecott, Jon Kendrick, Linda Harrison, Adrian Colley.
Apologies
Barbara Wiseman, Naomi Marks, Naomi Phillipson.
1 Officers' reports
Treasurer Adrian Colley reported we had £1,190 in the bank. Social Secretary Jemima Kiss announced that former Mirror editor Roy Greenslade was to speak at the May meeting and Yvonne Ridley would, she hoped, be able to make it to the June meeting.
2 Chapel report
Karen Hoy, from the Argus said arbitration service ACAS had met the managing director at the Argus. The 'bargaining unit' hoping to gain union recognition is some 90 members of staff. Nearly all the reporters had joined the NUJ and there were more applications in the pipeline she said. Recent pay rises were between 1.4% and 4.5%. She said the paper was eight staff down in the last 12 months and the new MD was being approached by Argus editor Simon Bradshaw about the problem.
3 ADM report
Rowan Dore's report was accepted. Adrian Colley pointed out that the branch had been critical of the Journalist magazine and had been told that there were vacancies on its editorial board, so if anyone wants to make the criticisms count then they can be nominated to serve on the board, which meets four times a year.
4 Members in Need donation
The branch agreed to sponsor a Scottish member who ran in the London Marathon. £50 will go towards the money she raised for the NUJ's Members In Need charity.
5 Any other business
Soundings were taken as to whether a summer party should be held in August. A vote favoured a party in a park rather than a beach.
Present
Jemima Kiss, David Blackman, Veronica Bridgewater, Karen Hoy, Wale Azeez, Bipinchandra Mistry, John O'Donoghue, Adam Juniper, Deborah Tucknott, Brendan Montague, Steve Whitehead, Rowan Dore, Adrian Colley, Chris Langdon, Chris Baker, Fraser Addecott, Jon Kendrick, Linda Harrison, Adrian Colley.
Apologies
Barbara Wiseman, Naomi Marks, Naomi Phillipson.
1 Officers' reports
Treasurer Adrian Colley reported we had £1,190 in the bank. Social Secretary Jemima Kiss announced that former Mirror editor Roy Greenslade was to speak at the May meeting and Yvonne Ridley would, she hoped, be able to make it to the June meeting.
2 Chapel report
Karen Hoy, from the Argus said arbitration service ACAS had met the managing director at the Argus. The 'bargaining unit' hoping to gain union recognition is some 90 members of staff. Nearly all the reporters had joined the NUJ and there were more applications in the pipeline she said. Recent pay rises were between 1.4% and 4.5%. She said the paper was eight staff down in the last 12 months and the new MD was being approached by Argus editor Simon Bradshaw about the problem.
3 ADM report
Rowan Dore's report was accepted. Adrian Colley pointed out that the branch had been critical of the Journalist magazine and had been told that there were vacancies on its editorial board, so if anyone wants to make the criticisms count then they can be nominated to serve on the board, which meets four times a year.
4 Members in Need donation
The branch agreed to sponsor a Scottish member who ran in the London Marathon. £50 will go towards the money she raised for the NUJ's Members In Need charity.
5 Any other business
Soundings were taken as to whether a summer party should be held in August. A vote favoured a party in a park rather than a beach.
28 March 2004
Report from the Annual Delegate Meeting
The 2004 NUJ Annual Delegate Meeting was lively and high-profile – particularly in the wake of the Hutton report and the background of rationalisation of the regional TV companies and campaigns to get better pay and conditions in the regional press.
The branch sent two delegates, Adrian Colley and myself. We attended all the sessions of what has now become a four-day conference. We were impressed by the professionalism of the NUJ conference team. Have filled in questionnaire recommending minor changes to the way conference is organised.
We were surprised at the lack of newspaper journalists, especially reporters from the national and provincial press. The union is now very much a multi-media union with delegates representing PR companies, websites, their own commercial/journalism businesses, and union associated media outlets. As always there was a strong Irish contingent.
I found the sector conference on newspapers on Thursday evening very valuable. It was good to hear there is strong union representation at The Independent, Daily Telegraph and Daily Express. On all these papers chapels have managed to get decent wage rises and on The Independent the rise has been around 7%, taking the average pay of journalists on the paper to more than £30,000. The chapel at the Express was able to deal with the problems of the blatantly racist editorial policy towards immigrants, resulting in the toning down of the paper's right-wing stance towards refugees and gypsies.
On the provincial side there was concern expressed at the way Newsquest under instruction of parent company Gannet was keeping down wages and cutting back publications in the Surrey area, which for me is too close to home. Several papers in the Surrey Comet circulation area have been merged and dumped and some have become freesheets.
The NUJ is strong in the Newsquest offices in Surrey and they have managed to push up wage rates. Union reps did not know of anyone on less than £15,000, including trainees. The conference passed a resolution saying the minimum pay for all journalists should be £15,000 in the regions and £17,000 in London. Average wage increases throughout Newsquest group were between 1.5% and 3%. The campaign to highlight low pay in the company would continue. Newsquest is currently operating on a 25% profit margin while the profits made by Gannet are increasing, hence they can afford to bid for the Daily Telegraph.
The branch put forward two motions. One on Zimbabwe calling for the Government to do more to ensure the press in Zimbabwe operates freely from restrictive laws. I made speech linking the way The Argus had been able to write freely about the activities of Nicholas van Hoogstraten in Sussex and that the main newspaper in Zimbabwe, the Daily News, had been unable to do likewise. Our motion sparked a good debate. It was unanimously approved and the NUJ agreed to give tangible, financial and practical support to the Daily News. My speech based on information given by our NEC representative, Fraser Addecott and our successful motion, was reported in Press Gazette.
Our other motion, calling for the redesign of The Journalist, sparked one of the liveliest debates of the conference. I said there was too much use made of colour in the paper and the blue on green text as well as orange on red made it difficult to read. I said it was not a black and white issue and there were too many pictures of Jeremy Dear. NUJ editor Tim Gopsill was forced to defend and said The Journalist advisory committee was always grateful for suggestions as to how The Journalist could be improved. Other speakers also pointed out that if people wanted to criticise the magazine (as has happened regularly at Brighton and Mid-Sussex branch meetings), then they should consider serving on the advisory committee, which meets four times a year, as there are vacancies on the committee.
It was clear our motion would not be approved after one speaker said he could see no point in the NEC setting up a committee to do the same job as the advisory committee. Tim Gopsill invited Brighton and Mid-Sussex to nominate someone for the advisory committee as there were vacancies.
I withdrew the motion to applause, saying we had sparked a positive discussion on the matter. The debate led to a parody of my speech at the end-of-conference revue with Tim Gopsill arriving on stage on all fours as a 'lapdog'. He was told The Journalist was going to be edited by The Black and White Minstrels from Brighton. The 'lapdog' was finally sent off-stage with the instructions 'To go and find some more photographs of Jeremy Dear'.
Other decisions which directly affected our branch included more promotion of the training programmes which the NUJ has set up, rejection of an NUJ campaign against the Euro, outlawing of moonlighting while a staff journalist (although one delegate said this would be completely ignored by ambitious journalists), status quo on people who receive half their income from journalistic activities being allowed to join.
There was also a motion agreed that chapels should work with management to express best practice regarding work experience on papers to end exploitation of free labour. A motion to fight job losses in regional TV was also approved.
A motion calling for the setting up of a New Media Industrial Council was agreed and another one calling for the Government to introduce a statutory 35-hour week with no loss of pay was also approved. There was also a call for the NUJ to enter into discussions about media facilities at new sports stadiums. As Brighton may get two new sports stadiums (hopefully not at Falmer) in the next few years we need to bear this in mind.
Next year's conference will be at Scarborough 7-10 April, 2005. Close of motions 1 November, close of amendments and delegate registration 7 February.
by Rowan Dore
The branch sent two delegates, Adrian Colley and myself. We attended all the sessions of what has now become a four-day conference. We were impressed by the professionalism of the NUJ conference team. Have filled in questionnaire recommending minor changes to the way conference is organised.
We were surprised at the lack of newspaper journalists, especially reporters from the national and provincial press. The union is now very much a multi-media union with delegates representing PR companies, websites, their own commercial/journalism businesses, and union associated media outlets. As always there was a strong Irish contingent.
I found the sector conference on newspapers on Thursday evening very valuable. It was good to hear there is strong union representation at The Independent, Daily Telegraph and Daily Express. On all these papers chapels have managed to get decent wage rises and on The Independent the rise has been around 7%, taking the average pay of journalists on the paper to more than £30,000. The chapel at the Express was able to deal with the problems of the blatantly racist editorial policy towards immigrants, resulting in the toning down of the paper's right-wing stance towards refugees and gypsies.
On the provincial side there was concern expressed at the way Newsquest under instruction of parent company Gannet was keeping down wages and cutting back publications in the Surrey area, which for me is too close to home. Several papers in the Surrey Comet circulation area have been merged and dumped and some have become freesheets.
The NUJ is strong in the Newsquest offices in Surrey and they have managed to push up wage rates. Union reps did not know of anyone on less than £15,000, including trainees. The conference passed a resolution saying the minimum pay for all journalists should be £15,000 in the regions and £17,000 in London. Average wage increases throughout Newsquest group were between 1.5% and 3%. The campaign to highlight low pay in the company would continue. Newsquest is currently operating on a 25% profit margin while the profits made by Gannet are increasing, hence they can afford to bid for the Daily Telegraph.
The branch put forward two motions. One on Zimbabwe calling for the Government to do more to ensure the press in Zimbabwe operates freely from restrictive laws. I made speech linking the way The Argus had been able to write freely about the activities of Nicholas van Hoogstraten in Sussex and that the main newspaper in Zimbabwe, the Daily News, had been unable to do likewise. Our motion sparked a good debate. It was unanimously approved and the NUJ agreed to give tangible, financial and practical support to the Daily News. My speech based on information given by our NEC representative, Fraser Addecott and our successful motion, was reported in Press Gazette.
Our other motion, calling for the redesign of The Journalist, sparked one of the liveliest debates of the conference. I said there was too much use made of colour in the paper and the blue on green text as well as orange on red made it difficult to read. I said it was not a black and white issue and there were too many pictures of Jeremy Dear. NUJ editor Tim Gopsill was forced to defend and said The Journalist advisory committee was always grateful for suggestions as to how The Journalist could be improved. Other speakers also pointed out that if people wanted to criticise the magazine (as has happened regularly at Brighton and Mid-Sussex branch meetings), then they should consider serving on the advisory committee, which meets four times a year, as there are vacancies on the committee.
It was clear our motion would not be approved after one speaker said he could see no point in the NEC setting up a committee to do the same job as the advisory committee. Tim Gopsill invited Brighton and Mid-Sussex to nominate someone for the advisory committee as there were vacancies.
I withdrew the motion to applause, saying we had sparked a positive discussion on the matter. The debate led to a parody of my speech at the end-of-conference revue with Tim Gopsill arriving on stage on all fours as a 'lapdog'. He was told The Journalist was going to be edited by The Black and White Minstrels from Brighton. The 'lapdog' was finally sent off-stage with the instructions 'To go and find some more photographs of Jeremy Dear'.
Other decisions which directly affected our branch included more promotion of the training programmes which the NUJ has set up, rejection of an NUJ campaign against the Euro, outlawing of moonlighting while a staff journalist (although one delegate said this would be completely ignored by ambitious journalists), status quo on people who receive half their income from journalistic activities being allowed to join.
There was also a motion agreed that chapels should work with management to express best practice regarding work experience on papers to end exploitation of free labour. A motion to fight job losses in regional TV was also approved.
A motion calling for the setting up of a New Media Industrial Council was agreed and another one calling for the Government to introduce a statutory 35-hour week with no loss of pay was also approved. There was also a call for the NUJ to enter into discussions about media facilities at new sports stadiums. As Brighton may get two new sports stadiums (hopefully not at Falmer) in the next few years we need to bear this in mind.
Next year's conference will be at Scarborough 7-10 April, 2005. Close of motions 1 November, close of amendments and delegate registration 7 February.
by Rowan Dore
14 January 2004
January meeting - ADM motions revised
Minutes
Present
Jon Kendrick, Fraser Addecott (chair), Jemima Kiss (social secretary), Adrian Colley (secretary/treasurer), Alan Whitehead, Sam Thomson, Virginia Bridgewater, Naomi Marks, Linda Harrison, David Blackman, James Morrison
Apologies
Emmannuelle Riviere, Chris Baker, Barbara Wiseman, Toby Chasseaud, Bip Mistry, Karen Hoy, Rowan Dore.
1 Minutes
November minutes were circulated and accepted with no comments arising.
2 New members
13 new members were elected to the branch.
3 Correspondence
A number of head office circulars for members to see, including copies of the Trade Union Friends of Searchlight newsletter, a copy of the Searchlight magazine itself, the latest Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom newsletter.
4 Officers' reports
Treasurer Adrian Colley reported that we had £1,023 in the bank.
5 Chapel reports
Fraser Addecott, the former Father of Chapel at the Argus said that union president Jeremy Dear had spoken to the managing director of Newsquest Sussex and that an agreement had been reached to approach the ACAS arbitration service to help decide who would comprise the bargaining unit at the Argus. This would determine the number of people entitled to vote in the campaign to win union recognition at the newspaper.
6 Geogre Viner
£25 donation was backed to the George Viner memorial fund, which helps would-be black students pay for the costs of tuition.
ADM nominations
Rowan Dore (nominated by Fraser Addecott, seconded by Virginia Bridgewater) and Adrian Colley (nominated by Fraser Addecott, seconded by Naomi Marks) were elected as the branch's delegates for the union's delegate meeting in Liverpool in March.
9 Freelance conference
A request to become involved in helping to stage a freelance conference was circulated. There was no interest expressed at the meeting in helping out with this.
10 Argus repeat
Fraser Addecott pointed out that a request to give money to the Argus chapel had already been passed last year. Adrian Colley apologised for putting it on the agenda.
11 Searchlight
Anti-fascist organisation Searchlight, to which the branch affiliated last year, was appealing for donations. Adrian Colley said its January edition of its magazine painted an alarming scenario of how well the BNP might do in the European elections in the summer. Searchlight believes that in the north east the BNP could win a European Parliament seat with just 8% of the vote in a low turnout and that the party might capitalise on a slump in support for the UK Independence Party. (More information at www.stopthebnp.com).
The meeting agreed to donate £50 to the campaign and asked secretary Adrian Colley to ask Searchlight for more of its magazines as it was felt that one copy for more than 180 members was not sufficient.
12 TUC council
Fraser Addecott asked to be nominated to the TUC's southern and eastern regional council for 2004/05.
13 Rejected Annual Delegate Motions
The branch had two motions for the Liverpool ADM rejected by the union's standing orders committee for lack of clarity.
They were:
1 " This ADM instructs the NEC to put pressure on the British government to allow the press in Zimbabwe to operate freely from restrictive laws and the fear of violence and intimidation. The union should support practical independent journalism in Zimbabwe by making available such equipment as it requires for it to operate."
2 "This ADM recommends that the Journalist magazine to be redesigned to reflect the dynamics of the NUJ."
On the second one, it was decided to ask for an amendment to be made to our motion to the effect that a committee be established to look at improving the editorial and design of the Journalist.
Present
Jon Kendrick, Fraser Addecott (chair), Jemima Kiss (social secretary), Adrian Colley (secretary/treasurer), Alan Whitehead, Sam Thomson, Virginia Bridgewater, Naomi Marks, Linda Harrison, David Blackman, James Morrison
Apologies
Emmannuelle Riviere, Chris Baker, Barbara Wiseman, Toby Chasseaud, Bip Mistry, Karen Hoy, Rowan Dore.
1 Minutes
November minutes were circulated and accepted with no comments arising.
2 New members
13 new members were elected to the branch.
3 Correspondence
A number of head office circulars for members to see, including copies of the Trade Union Friends of Searchlight newsletter, a copy of the Searchlight magazine itself, the latest Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom newsletter.
4 Officers' reports
Treasurer Adrian Colley reported that we had £1,023 in the bank.
5 Chapel reports
Fraser Addecott, the former Father of Chapel at the Argus said that union president Jeremy Dear had spoken to the managing director of Newsquest Sussex and that an agreement had been reached to approach the ACAS arbitration service to help decide who would comprise the bargaining unit at the Argus. This would determine the number of people entitled to vote in the campaign to win union recognition at the newspaper.
6 Geogre Viner
£25 donation was backed to the George Viner memorial fund, which helps would-be black students pay for the costs of tuition.
ADM nominations
Rowan Dore (nominated by Fraser Addecott, seconded by Virginia Bridgewater) and Adrian Colley (nominated by Fraser Addecott, seconded by Naomi Marks) were elected as the branch's delegates for the union's delegate meeting in Liverpool in March.
9 Freelance conference
A request to become involved in helping to stage a freelance conference was circulated. There was no interest expressed at the meeting in helping out with this.
10 Argus repeat
Fraser Addecott pointed out that a request to give money to the Argus chapel had already been passed last year. Adrian Colley apologised for putting it on the agenda.
11 Searchlight
Anti-fascist organisation Searchlight, to which the branch affiliated last year, was appealing for donations. Adrian Colley said its January edition of its magazine painted an alarming scenario of how well the BNP might do in the European elections in the summer. Searchlight believes that in the north east the BNP could win a European Parliament seat with just 8% of the vote in a low turnout and that the party might capitalise on a slump in support for the UK Independence Party. (More information at www.stopthebnp.com).
The meeting agreed to donate £50 to the campaign and asked secretary Adrian Colley to ask Searchlight for more of its magazines as it was felt that one copy for more than 180 members was not sufficient.
12 TUC council
Fraser Addecott asked to be nominated to the TUC's southern and eastern regional council for 2004/05.
13 Rejected Annual Delegate Motions
The branch had two motions for the Liverpool ADM rejected by the union's standing orders committee for lack of clarity.
They were:
1 " This ADM instructs the NEC to put pressure on the British government to allow the press in Zimbabwe to operate freely from restrictive laws and the fear of violence and intimidation. The union should support practical independent journalism in Zimbabwe by making available such equipment as it requires for it to operate."
2 "This ADM recommends that the Journalist magazine to be redesigned to reflect the dynamics of the NUJ."
On the second one, it was decided to ask for an amendment to be made to our motion to the effect that a committee be established to look at improving the editorial and design of the Journalist.
19 November 2003
November meeting - Christmas party plans
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.
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.
17 October 2003
October Annual General Meeting - election of officers
Minutes
Present:
Jon Kendrick, Fraser Addecott, Bipinchandra Mistry, Jemima Kiss, Mark McCall, Barbara Wiseman, Toby Chasseaud, Naomi Phillipson, Rowan Dore, David Blackman, Neil Hamilton, Dominic O'Byrne, Chris Baker, Adrian Colley and AN Other, whose signature could not be worked out.
Apologies:
None
1 Minutes
The minutes were circulated and accepted. Barbara Wiseman reminded the meeting that she had asked that the branch put forward a motion to ADM mourning the loss of journalists' life in Iraq
2 Officers' reports
Reports passed round a number of head office circulars for members to see.
3 Officer elections
The following officers were elected:
Chairman – Fraser Addecott, secretary has no note of who nominated him but he was seconded by Bipinchandra Mistry
Secretary – Adrian Colley, nominated by Jemima Kiss and seconded by Jon Kendrick
Treasurer - Adrian Colley, nominated by Fraser Addecott
Social secretary – Jemima Kiss, nominated by Jon Kendrick and seconded by Fraser Addecott.
No nominations were made for the post of welfare officer.
4 ADM Motions
The following four motions were submitted for the Annual Delegate Meeting to be held in Liverpool in March:
a) This ADM instructs the NEC to put pressure on the British government to allow the press in Zimbabwe to operate freely from restrictive laws and the fear of violence and intimidation. The union should support practical independent journalism in Zimbabwe by making available such equipment as it requires for it to operate.
Motion proposer – Fraser Addecott. Backed 8-0 with 6 abstentions.
b) This ADM recommends that the Journalist magazine to be redesigned to reflect the dynamics of the NUJ.
Motion proposer – Bipinchandra Mistry. Backed 7-0 with 7 abstentions.
c) This ADM commends the NUJ's campaign for fair pay for colleagues working at Newsquest titles and calls on the NEC to pursue the campaign vigorously and support any colleague employed by Newsquest who is victimised for fighting for better pay and conditions.
Motion proposer – Chris Baker. Backed unanimously.
d) This ADM notes that during the course of the Iraq war 19 of our colleagues have been killed. The Brighton branch calls on members of the union to pay tribute to our colleagues. ADM instructs the NEC that in future conflicts to urge news organisations to do their utmost to ensure the safety of correspondents by establishing rules of engagement for journalists.
Motion proposer – Barbara Wiseman. Backed unanimously.
A fifth motion from Jon Kendrick on the government's use of spin doctors and calling for the adoption of a code of practice for such PR people was voted down 5-4.
5 Chapel reports
Argus FoC Fraser Addecott said that due to the NUJ targeting Newsquest titles, the Brighton paper had several recruits over the past few weeks. He said: 'Things are looking up and we are working at looking for recognition. It's encouraging at the moment.'
6 NEC elections
Fraser Addecott was nominated to stand for election to the union's top council, the National Executive Council, by Jon Kendrick. Seconded by Jemima Kiss.
There were no nominations for posts on any of the union's industrial councils.
7 Christmas Party
Jemima Kiss outlined the plan to have the party at Havana in Regency Square, Brighton, on Wednesday 10 December from 8pm to 2am. She said the venue was free. It would hold 100 people. A variety of suggestions were made as to what entertainment and inducements to attend could be offered. Suggestions included hiring a magician and having mince pies. One new member (the secretary apologises for not having made a note of the member's name) suggested that if a magician was required she was married to one and so she could help the branch.
8 Any other business
Bipinchandra Mistry asked whether the branch could make a donation to the cost of a trip he hoped to undertake to the Middle East to do a story on the effect of conflict on the Gaza Strip on childrens' mental health. Adrian Colley wondered whether the branch should be making donations towards the costs of members carrying out their freelance work and asked for the subject to be discussed in November so that he could check with head office to see if union rules allowed this.
Barbara Wiseman said she felt that was a legalistic way of looking at it and she felt Bipinchandra should be supported. Jon Kendrick wondered if Bipinchandra could look at commercial sponsorship and said there was a grey area between a philanthropic venture and freelance work.
Present:
Jon Kendrick, Fraser Addecott, Bipinchandra Mistry, Jemima Kiss, Mark McCall, Barbara Wiseman, Toby Chasseaud, Naomi Phillipson, Rowan Dore, David Blackman, Neil Hamilton, Dominic O'Byrne, Chris Baker, Adrian Colley and AN Other, whose signature could not be worked out.
Apologies:
None
1 Minutes
The minutes were circulated and accepted. Barbara Wiseman reminded the meeting that she had asked that the branch put forward a motion to ADM mourning the loss of journalists' life in Iraq
2 Officers' reports
Reports passed round a number of head office circulars for members to see.
3 Officer elections
The following officers were elected:
Chairman – Fraser Addecott, secretary has no note of who nominated him but he was seconded by Bipinchandra Mistry
Secretary – Adrian Colley, nominated by Jemima Kiss and seconded by Jon Kendrick
Treasurer - Adrian Colley, nominated by Fraser Addecott
Social secretary – Jemima Kiss, nominated by Jon Kendrick and seconded by Fraser Addecott.
No nominations were made for the post of welfare officer.
4 ADM Motions
The following four motions were submitted for the Annual Delegate Meeting to be held in Liverpool in March:
a) This ADM instructs the NEC to put pressure on the British government to allow the press in Zimbabwe to operate freely from restrictive laws and the fear of violence and intimidation. The union should support practical independent journalism in Zimbabwe by making available such equipment as it requires for it to operate.
Motion proposer – Fraser Addecott. Backed 8-0 with 6 abstentions.
b) This ADM recommends that the Journalist magazine to be redesigned to reflect the dynamics of the NUJ.
Motion proposer – Bipinchandra Mistry. Backed 7-0 with 7 abstentions.
c) This ADM commends the NUJ's campaign for fair pay for colleagues working at Newsquest titles and calls on the NEC to pursue the campaign vigorously and support any colleague employed by Newsquest who is victimised for fighting for better pay and conditions.
Motion proposer – Chris Baker. Backed unanimously.
d) This ADM notes that during the course of the Iraq war 19 of our colleagues have been killed. The Brighton branch calls on members of the union to pay tribute to our colleagues. ADM instructs the NEC that in future conflicts to urge news organisations to do their utmost to ensure the safety of correspondents by establishing rules of engagement for journalists.
Motion proposer – Barbara Wiseman. Backed unanimously.
A fifth motion from Jon Kendrick on the government's use of spin doctors and calling for the adoption of a code of practice for such PR people was voted down 5-4.
5 Chapel reports
Argus FoC Fraser Addecott said that due to the NUJ targeting Newsquest titles, the Brighton paper had several recruits over the past few weeks. He said: 'Things are looking up and we are working at looking for recognition. It's encouraging at the moment.'
6 NEC elections
Fraser Addecott was nominated to stand for election to the union's top council, the National Executive Council, by Jon Kendrick. Seconded by Jemima Kiss.
There were no nominations for posts on any of the union's industrial councils.
7 Christmas Party
Jemima Kiss outlined the plan to have the party at Havana in Regency Square, Brighton, on Wednesday 10 December from 8pm to 2am. She said the venue was free. It would hold 100 people. A variety of suggestions were made as to what entertainment and inducements to attend could be offered. Suggestions included hiring a magician and having mince pies. One new member (the secretary apologises for not having made a note of the member's name) suggested that if a magician was required she was married to one and so she could help the branch.
8 Any other business
Bipinchandra Mistry asked whether the branch could make a donation to the cost of a trip he hoped to undertake to the Middle East to do a story on the effect of conflict on the Gaza Strip on childrens' mental health. Adrian Colley wondered whether the branch should be making donations towards the costs of members carrying out their freelance work and asked for the subject to be discussed in November so that he could check with head office to see if union rules allowed this.
Barbara Wiseman said she felt that was a legalistic way of looking at it and she felt Bipinchandra should be supported. Jon Kendrick wondered if Bipinchandra could look at commercial sponsorship and said there was a grey area between a philanthropic venture and freelance work.
06 August 2003
Tony Benn at the Arts Club
Former Labour cabinet minister Tony Benn, now the godfather of British socialism, spoke out against virtually everything New Labour stood for, when he gave a speech, followed by lively discussion, to the Brighton and Mid Sussex branch.
Eighty five people came to hear one of Britain's longest serving MPs speak his mind, now he has been unshackled by the restrictions of the Commons, when he addressed NUJ members and guests at the Sussex Arts Club, Ship Street, Brighton.
It was one of the most successful events every organised by the local branch of NUJ. So many people attended, despite the 4.30 pm start, that a larger room had to be quickly set up at the last minute. Among the audience were former MI5 "whistle-blower" and NUJ member David Shayler and his partner.
Tony Benn, now 78, proved he had lost none of commitment to the socialist cause and if anything had moved further to the left as he approaches his eighties.
The former MP for Bristol South East and Chesterfield, who retired from the Commons at the last general election said "The purpose of being old is to encourage the young. I am engaged in a permanent election campaign with no polling day at the moment. I am a socialist and not a supporter of New Labour."
Mr Benn accused Prime Minister Tony Blair of treating the public with contempt. "I am not a member of New Labour and I don't want to be. I want to see this country run on socialist lines not on a business basis." He attacked the Mr Blair for going to war against Iraq on the flimsiest of evidence and said the way in which the case for Britain going to war had been presented was a fraud.
"The Government is being run by spin doctors who are hand in glove with a few selected members of Lobby journalists based at Westminster. "If a Lobby journalist writes something the Government does not like, they are left out briefings, and then even more briefings if they write about being left out of briefings. This is not the way to run the country. "Luckily the British electorate has a basically high level of intelligence and they are able to see through it. People are not apathetic. The electorate does not like a Government which tells them what they should do"
Mr Benn said he believed the local and regional Press played an important part in any democracy as they were closer to the community. "Any change must come from the bottom up." Mr Benn said the media had been conned over Nelson Mandela while he was in jail in South Africa.
"I remember reading a headline: 'Tony Benn meets well-known terrorist.' The next time I met him he was the President of South Africa and had just won the Nobel Peace Prize" Mr Benn, speaking before the inquiry into the death of David Kelly and the Government's role in beefing up the need to go to war with Iraq said he believed it would prove the Government did hype up its case, "This war was not about weapons of mass destruction it was about Bush and Blair wanting world domination. It was an illegal war and a criminal act against another nation which has done no harm."
He said Tony Blair was running a neo-Conservative Party, but the former Labour cabinet minister whose son Hillary is Home Office minister refused to advocate a vote for any other party. "The only alternative to Blair is a Labour Government. I am working towards the return of a Labour Government which will reclaim the democratic rights of the people of this country."
by Rowan Dore
Photo by Fred Pipes
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