Twenty five members of the NUJ Left took part in a wide-ranging discussion about the union’s financial crisis on Sunday 25 June 2012 at a meeting in King’s Cross, London. Another 12 members sent apologies.

Much of the discussion focussed on a motion put at the beginning of the meeting which was subsequently passed in an amended form at the end of the debate.

Several people raised a number of pointed questions about how the union’s finances have become critical, and why no one told NUJ members it was coming. Others raised the significance of the continuing problems around financing the union’s pension funds.

There was a general belief that the union’s leadership should provide the time and space so that alternatives to the general secretary’s Recovery Plan can be discussed and formulated. The meeting welcomed news that of alternative financial plan being drafted by NUJ members at the Financial Times.

It was proposed that, as a matter of urgency, NUJ Left supporters take up these points of discussion, plus the final motion, in their chapels and branches in order to put forward amendments to the Delegate Meeting preliminary agenda and Late Notice Motions as appropriate.

The mended motion was put to a vote, one paragraph at a time. A record of the votes can be provided on request.

NUJ Left Motion on the Financial Crisis.

NUJ Left notes with alarm the General Secretary’s comments about the state of the NUJ finances and extends solidarity to all NUJ members, staff and officials.

We believe that consultation on this situation has been inadequate and undermines the NUJ’s commitment to democracy and fairness.

This meeting agrees that the financial position should be discussed at a national meeting of the union, preferably at this year’s Delegate Meeting, and the ‘Recovery Plan’ should be suspended until then.

NUJ Left resolves:

* to oppose compulsory redundancy of NUJ staff.

* to opposes any move towards biennial delegate meetings.

We call on the General Secretary and NEC:

* to trust the members with the facts.

* to distribute the ‘Recovery Plan’ (NUJ recovery plan – towards a sustainable union) to members.

* to distribute the unions financial audit (Year ended 30 September 2011) to members.

* To establish a squad of lay-member volunteers to work on recruitment.

We further believe:

That retaining and recruiting new members is of the highest importance and key to financial stability of the union.

That a vibrant, combative union, committed to fighting for quality journalism, social justice and equality built from the grassroots up can counter media monopolies and rogue employers, and to persuade potential members to join the union.

Posted by NUJ Left

Tags: National Meeting, National Union of Journalists, NUJ, NUJ financial crisis, NUJ Left