Press Gazette’s take on it is here and they have republished an interview with Jeremy from last year.

The NUJ Left will have a view on the coming election and may well support one of the candidates. This will be discussed at our next national meeting. If you would like to get involved please email nuj.left@googlemail.com

The three main unions at the BBC: NUJ, Bectu and Unite are organising the action in protest against plans to cut pensions. NUJ members voted by more than 90 per cent to strike.

The top brass at the BBC are proposing to cut the link between salary and pension by putting a one percent cap on any pension increase. Managers claim that the pension fund is in debt to nearly £2 billion – this is rejected by the three unions: NUJ, Bectu and Unite.

The pension attack is part of a series of attacks on the BBC and its staff such as pay, threats to the World Service and government intentions to sell-off parts of the public body.

The NUJ Left supports the strikes and will be visiting picket lines across the county. Please download this petition, get you’re fellow workers to sign it and take it along to a picket line near you.

Meanwhile at the BBC, the NUJ branch has secured pay rises for six members of staff who had been historically underpaid for the jobs. The victory may lead to more cases of staff who are acting up or underpaid for their job winning pay rises. More here

During the day. activists discussed strategies for defending jobs and quality in the media, solidarity work, the war in Afghanistan, fascism in the media and the coming ADM.

In the morning session, there were two speakers from the recent successful Tower Hamlets College strike in London. Both speakers pointed to the support the strike had received from fellow trade unionists in the London borough and from the local community. The strike was against provisions for teaching English to people who do not have it as a first language (ESOL), which would have hit the borough particularly hard as it is one of the most ethnically diverse boroughs in London. The Tower Hamlets speakers also emphasised that striking indefinitely galvanised workers at the college far greater than more limited action would have. This had led to a big increase in membership and many new faces becoming involved with the union and the running of the strike.
NUJ member and labour historian Sheila Cohen gave a potted history of industrial struggles and recessions over the past 150 years and drew out a few lessons for today such as workers actions tended to develop more when the economy is moving out of recession.
From the floor, there were discussions about solidarity, types of action the union should be taking and how to organise.

BNP debate
The afternoon kicked off with a session on the NUJ and the issue of the BBC inviting Nick Griffin onto Question Time. The NEC’s Pete Murray put forward a motion that condemned the Question Time decision and supported protests. There was adebate about what attitude should journalists take towards the BNP. Most agreed that there was a difference between journalists reporting facts on the BNP, which after all is part of the job, and allowing the BNP airtime to broadcast its views uncritically. Generally, those present believed that the NUJ as union and its paper The Journalist should educate members in the reality of the BNP and provide information about them. A majority also supported demonstrations and protests against the BNP where they appear in the media.

Afghanistan
Lindsay German from Stop the War Coalition spoke on war in Afghanistan. That war and the one in Iraq have seen thousands of deaths of innocent people. Journalists have been killed and wounded, obstructed from reporting (unless they have been embedded with the coalition forces), lied to or fed false information about the wars and the process leading to them. Meanwhile, the state has used more repressive laws against protests in this country, which again has undermined the ability of journalists and photographers to go about their work. A motion was passed calling for troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan now and to affiliate the NUJ Left to STW.

Postal dispute
Jane Loftus of the Communications Workers Union (CWU) addressed the meeting. She explained the issues that postal workers were striking over. NUJ members agreed that the postal strike was crucial an reported on their own solidarity work including collections, twining chapels/branches with postal workers and helping setting up solidarity committees. A collection was held at the meeting for the postal workers.

Annual delegate meeting
There was a brief discussion about motions going to ADM in November with those present opposing the move to hold a conference in 18 months time, particularly during a period of huge change for the industry. Other motions discussed included union fees, allowing group chapels to send a delegate to conference, a photographers’ organiser, and NUJ support for local campaigns.
The meeting also elected a new NUJ Left steering committee.

Richard is a first-class journalist and, crucially, a committed trade unionist – the essential mix to be the next editor of our union’s magazine at what is certain to be a challenging time for journalists and journalism.

Richard Simcox

The role of the Journalist is to inform, inspire and unite us across the nations and the sectors – wherever we work and whoever we work for. It is how NUJ members share ideas, experiences and tactics.

Richard has been an NUJ rep at a Newsquest newspaper and currently edits a magazine for activists in the Public and Commercial Services union – one of the UK’s biggest and most vibrant trade unions.

He has brought together a broad range of supporters who trust him to develop a Journalist we would be proud to send into workplaces to help raise our union’s profile and recruit new members.

His manifesto, published on his website, states: “Our union journal is much more than just another magazine. It is a powerful tool that unites us – from books to broadcasting, and from Cork to Cardiff, Caithness to Colchester.

“While remembering that the printed edition of the magazine is still the main source of NUJ information for most of our members, we must create a vibrant digital Journalist making full use of the latest technology and social media.”

Richard pledges to:

• Provide a lively and accessible forum for debate and ideas on our campaigns and key issues such as press freedom and media ownership – to sharpen our game.
• Produce a magazine that meets the exacting standards expected by journalists – a journal we can send into workplaces to promote our union and recruit new members.
• Ensure that the Journalist online is a vital and stimulating resource for people who want to be a part of our union every day – not every two months.
• Support NUJ members in the good times and the bad, celebrating successes, learning from defeats, and building confidence for the battles ahead – in every sector, every region and every nation.
• Cover our union’s extensive internal democracy – bread and butter journalism that is currently ignored by the magazine and the NUJ website.

Richard said: “I am grateful for the support of NUJ Left – a group of members who recognise the need for a strong, united, fighting union, especially at a time when media owners have abandoned journalists and journalism.

“There is a strong field of candidates in this election, but I am the only one who is actually doing the job now that the NUJ needs for the Journalist.

“Democracy is vital to our union so I urge all NUJ members to use their vote.”

Joint father of the newly-merged Guardian and Observer chapel, Brian Williams, told tonight’s hugely-successful Stand Up for the Observer public meeting that NUJ members would fight to save jobs at the world’s oldest Sunday newspaper.

More than 200 people packed a room at Friends Meeting House in Kings Cross, London, for the event jointly organised by NUJ members and Press Gazette.

Journalists including Henry Porter, John Humphrys and Francis Wheen were among the audience at the meeting, chaired by comedian David Mitchell and addressed by NUJ deputy general secretary Michelle Stanistreet and Press Gazette editor Dominic Ponsford.

Observer contributors past and present Katharine Whitehorn, Philip French, Barry Norman and Victoria Coren also spoke passionately and humourously about their involvement with the paper and the need to preserve its identity and editorial independence.

Katharine Whitehorn said the paper was one of the first to give women “a real voice” to write as themselves and it must not be allowed to change beyond recognition.

The Guardian Media Group announced last week the title would not close, despite speculation, but uncertainty still hangs over the viability of the paper and staff are seriously concerned about their jobs.

Many of the contributors, including David Mitchell in his opening address, said the plans run contrary to GMG’s sole shareholder the Scott Trust’s founding principles of liberalism and public service.

Brian said: “Most of us who work on the paper consider ourselves liberal. But we are not liberal when it comes to compulsory redundancies, and any notice of these will trigger an automatic ballot for industrial action.”

Michelle praised chapel members for the high profile campaign they have run so far and confirmed they have the full support of the union.

“It’s vital that the newspaper remains viable,” she said. “If it is to survive for another 218 years it needs proper resources, and needs to maintain its talented pool of journalists and keep its distinctive voice.”

Dominic pointed out that the Observer is still a “fantastically successful newspaper” that has put on sales in the last nine years while its competitors’ circulations have dropped.

He welcomed the news that GMG management had committed to continue to produce the Observer, but added: “The message needs to go out from this meeting that it must be robust and independent.”

Mike Pike, FoC of the Guardian News and Media Unite chapel that represents non-journalists, read out a message of support from his chapel and said the first battle had been won, “but not the war”.

This is right. The chapel has run an excellent campaign, attracting high level backing, and tonight’s meeting was a visible expression of that.

But clearly the battle for the Observer is not over and we will need to build on this and continue to support NUJ and Unite members to protect jobs and journalism.

More than 100 trade unionists packed into the London Welsh Centre on Thursday night to hear the NUJ’s general secretary Jeremy Dear and a host of leading union activists call for a powerful protest in Brighton next weekend at Labour party conference.

Fresh from the TUC in Liverpool, Jeremy spoke about the government’s lack of political will – unemployment can be beaten, but it means a change of priorities from the banks to working people, he said.

Mark Flower from the Vestas occupation got a standing ovation before he even spoke. He went on to describe how he and 16 other workers had thrust climate change to the top of the agenda in the union movement, in the face of lies from his bosses, police aggression and government inaction.

Sasha Callaghan of the UCU said now was not the time to stay silent and not “rock the boat” as the election approached – we had to shout now for an alternative. Kevin Courtney from the NUT executive picked up this theme and made a passionate speech for unions to co-ordinate immediate action for jobs.

Lyndsey German for the Stop the War Coalition made the connection between the current crisis and the billions wasted on criminal wars and the Trident nuclear weapons system. The hall applauded the TUC’s historic decision to call for a boycott of Israeli goods.

LSE student Estelle Cooch from Right to Work talked about how her economics lecturers apologise to students every day that what they are about to learn is being proved totally wrong by the recession.

Finally Richard McEwan of the UCU at Tower Hamlets college brought the hall to its feet in solidarity with the all-out strike of teachers there, which is now into its fourth week.

I came away with leaflets, posters, stickers, papers and other material to distribute at work. As well as tickets for Brighton. Please email me on david.crouch10@btinternet.com if you need any.

Accepting the prestigious award on the last day of congress, the annual gathering of trade unionists, she paid tribute to her husband, Kevin, who she described as “a thorn in the side of the bosses”.

Anita, re-elected today as the PR and information rep on the NUJ NEC, listed the advances made in the 20 years since she was a first-time congress delegate and highlighted the work that still needs to be done.

While overall there is now a greater diversity in delegations, she said it is “still far short of being truly representative”.

“More women delegates but still only just over one in three and, at least this year I thought, an increasing number of women speakers.

“The LGBT and disability conferences have become motions-based – as, hopefully, will the young members’ forum – providing lay activists with a greater democratic voice.

“And the voice of the lay members is heard more at our congress now the equality conferences bring a motion to this floor.

“This year, the trades councils finally came home with their conference’s first motion. Again hopefully, the young members will join our debates next year.”

She said there was now more of an international flavour to TUC debates. In a reference to an earlier address by Salvador Valdes Mesa, general secretary of the Cuba Workers’ Group of Affiliated Trade Unions, Anita added: “Comrades, who would have thought 20 years ago that congress would give a standing ovation to a Cuban trade union leader in the 50th anniversary of the glorious Cuban revolution.”

She thanked Kevin, her “husband and comrade of 35 years” for his support, saying: “Kevin was a child of the depression; his grandmother died in the workhouse. He left school at 13, and led his first strike at 15.

“Since then he has been a thorn in the side of the bosses. Sometimes he even took on the TUC. Indeed, the first time I was at Congress House was outside lobbying the general council to call for the repeal of all anti-trade union laws.”

She added that she was proud of the NUJ for its role in making this repeal TUC policy.

“My union now has a young leadership with Jeremy Dear and our new deputy general secretary, Michelle Stanistreet, a sister of whom I am immensely proud,” Anita said.

She closed with a rallying call to continue the fight against the far right, saying: “I learned my politics from my parents – both anti-fascist refugees from Nazi Germany.

“I know they would have been extremely heartened by the way our trade union movement has taken up the struggle against the re-emergence of the far right.

“Sisters and brothers, I wish you well in this and all the fights we still face.”

Referring to the silent vigil delegates and visitors held earlier in the week to remember the victims of racism and fascism, she said: “At the beginning of the week we said, ‘not in my name’.”

Clenching her fist in the air, she added: “At the end of the week I say, ‘no pasaran’.”

NUJ member Arifa Farooq, who used her sister’s name to apply for jobs, helped to uncover malpractice by companies caring for elderly people at home.

The necessity of this kind of work is shown by the fact the Scottish parliament’s local government committee has been investigating the issues around elder care raised by the Panorama progamme that Arifa worked on.

While there should never have been any threat of prosecution, Arifa and her BBC and NUJ colleagues deserve our praise for their resolute defence of quality journalism.

That’s why NUJ Left is asking for your vote. All our candidates pledge to campaign for strategies based on the most effective and strident action – official or unofficial – to defend jobs, pay, conditions and quality journalism.

This means solidarity action to back our members in dispute and harnessing the resources of the whole union to stop the employers’ assault.

We do not believe the recession should be used as an excuse for preconceived attacks on jobs and standards.

We believe cuts are unnecessary, counterproductive and entirely avoidable. We will not pay for their crisis, while shareholders maintain their returns.

We will fight to defend journalistic and ethical standards. We oppose the latest sordid attempts to whip up support for the UK’s unwinnable wars and will continue to campaign for greater coverage of the anti-war movement.

Where we face editors who insist we must be “balanced” in our reporting of the nazi BNP we will press the case for a truthful and challenging media, and support with all our resolve journalists who refuse to work alongside far right elected members.

We have grown into a fighting union that puts the defence of jobs, journalism and human decency first. Let’s keep it that way.

Vote NUJ Left

• Kyran Connolly – books
• David Beake – broadcasting
• Tom Davies, Alan Gibson, Pierre Vicary and Barry White – London
• Barbara Goulden/Lucy Lynch – midlands
• Julia Armstrong/Phil Turner – newspapers and agencies
• Anita Halpin – PR and information
• Dave Toomer – north west England

Print and distribute our leaflet (pdf).