Spent yesterday morning at Canary Wharf being briefed by senior Trinity Mirror managers about their proposals to close the final salary pension scheme to all - and replace it with an inferior scheme.
The company had written to everyone late on Friday afternoon (they're all heart) saying they could no longer afford the scheme and therefore had to close it. There is a consultation until 8 January about the plans but no-one is under any illusion that this is a consultation in name only to meet legal obligations, not to really listen to the views of staff. NUJ officials will be meeting on Wednesday to plan our response. The problem we will face is years of poor decision making and returning cash to shareholders instead of saving for a rainy day mean that now it is pouring down and with a refinancing deal looming the company has little cash, despite the fact it keeps churning our profits. The problem for the company is that most people now no longer believe they have a strategy to grow the company.
Friday's news came as I was attending the seminar A Media Manifesto for the Digital Age and speaking as part of a panel which included Lord Norman Fowler, Don Foster MP, Caroline Thompson from the BBC and Natalie Fenton from Goldsmith's. A copy of my speech is available here
Saturday morning I spoke at the SERTUC Building Trades Councils' conference. A copy of my speech is available here.
Saturday evening I had dinner with Mark Serwotka and Christine Blower, General Secretaries of the PCS and NUT respectively, their partners and some friends. A very pleasant way to set the world to rights.
After yesterday's Trinity Mirror meeting I met Meic Birtwistle, NEC member for Wales and Ken Smith, chair of the NUJ's Welsh Executive Council to discuss the work there, including the prospect of recognition at the Trinity titles in Llandudno and recruitment initiatives in Caernavon before speaking at the London Magazine Branch, which ended up in a really interesting discussion about unpaid work experience and the future organisation of the union - should we be organised on a sector basis, company basis, geographical basis and should subscriptions be based on income, sector or some other factor. This is a decade which will have to be had across the whole union because the current structures and subscriptions grades are outdated and will be incapable of supporting the union's activities in the future.
This morning I'm off to the TUC Executive.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Friday, November 06, 2009
A postcard (or a1000) to Ben Bradshaw
Had a lie in till 7am following the news that the postal workers action had been called off while talks go on. It meant no early morning picket line visit.
Yesterday afternoon NUJ Broadcasting Organiser Sue Harris and I delivered 1000 signed postcards to Ben Bradshaw's office protesting about government plans to top slice the licence fee. That 1000 added to hundreds, possibly thousands of others sent in by other organisations across the UK. But don't stop sending them in. The Queen's Speech later this month will signal the start of the parliamentary battle against top-slicing - so keep up the pressure.
pic: Jonathan Warren
The debate on the future of the media switches to the British Academy tonight where I will share a platform with a government minister, Liberal Democrat MP Don Foster, Lord Norman Fowler, Caroline Thomson, the chief operating officer from the BBC, Peter Wilby and others in an open seminar "A Media manifesto for the Digital Age". The premise of my contribution, being surrounded by so many politicians, will be that the media are failing democracy because politicians are failing the media. It will be a strong call for an economic stimulus plan for journalism not to prop up failed corporate business models but to invest in newsgathering in the public interest.
Before heading off to that I'm meeting the Latin American Workers Association and have staff meetings. Tomorrow morning I'm speaking at the South East Region TUC Conference.
Yesterday afternoon NUJ Broadcasting Organiser Sue Harris and I delivered 1000 signed postcards to Ben Bradshaw's office protesting about government plans to top slice the licence fee. That 1000 added to hundreds, possibly thousands of others sent in by other organisations across the UK. But don't stop sending them in. The Queen's Speech later this month will signal the start of the parliamentary battle against top-slicing - so keep up the pressure.
pic: Jonathan Warren
The debate on the future of the media switches to the British Academy tonight where I will share a platform with a government minister, Liberal Democrat MP Don Foster, Lord Norman Fowler, Caroline Thomson, the chief operating officer from the BBC, Peter Wilby and others in an open seminar "A Media manifesto for the Digital Age". The premise of my contribution, being surrounded by so many politicians, will be that the media are failing democracy because politicians are failing the media. It will be a strong call for an economic stimulus plan for journalism not to prop up failed corporate business models but to invest in newsgathering in the public interest.
Before heading off to that I'm meeting the Latin American Workers Association and have staff meetings. Tomorrow morning I'm speaking at the South East Region TUC Conference.
Thursday, November 05, 2009
It's in the post...
Spent yesterday buzzing between meetings with Skillset, the BBC's new Director of People Lucy Adams and then did some clandestine union organising at a national newspaper (the fruits of which you will have to wait until they blossom - that sounds like a badly mixed metaphor but I can't work out what it should be).
I also finished my contribution for an International Federation of Journalists' discussion document on the future of journalism, due to be considered by their Executive which meets in London in a week's time with a final report presented to their Congress in Cadiz in May next year. Given the speed things are moving at I'll probably have to rewrite my section a few times before then!
This afternoon I'm off to DCMS to hand over 1000 Don't Top Slice the BBC Licence Fee postcards as part of our campaign to defend public service broadcasting.
In the morning I'll be off to support CWU members on their picket lines. Find out what you can do to support their action here - remember, in every dispute we have had they've supported us. You never know when you might need the posties!
I also finished my contribution for an International Federation of Journalists' discussion document on the future of journalism, due to be considered by their Executive which meets in London in a week's time with a final report presented to their Congress in Cadiz in May next year. Given the speed things are moving at I'll probably have to rewrite my section a few times before then!
This afternoon I'm off to DCMS to hand over 1000 Don't Top Slice the BBC Licence Fee postcards as part of our campaign to defend public service broadcasting.
In the morning I'll be off to support CWU members on their picket lines. Find out what you can do to support their action here - remember, in every dispute we have had they've supported us. You never know when you might need the posties!
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
Citizens, rise up...
Last night I was at the Parliamentary launch of the Citizens Coalition for Public Service Broadcasting hosted by John Grogan MP, a brilliant defender of PSB.
He rightly ridiculed James Murdoch's assertion that profit is the guarantor of quality and independence and set out a very firm opposition to top-slicing the licence fee as part of the attempts to maintain quality local and regional news on ITV.
Carole Tongue, former MEP, set out clearly the case for levies to address the funding gap, a move supported by the NUJ and BECTU.
He rightly ridiculed James Murdoch's assertion that profit is the guarantor of quality and independence and set out a very firm opposition to top-slicing the licence fee as part of the attempts to maintain quality local and regional news on ITV.
Carole Tongue, former MEP, set out clearly the case for levies to address the funding gap, a move supported by the NUJ and BECTU.
Levies operate in almost every other European country - and it seems logical that those who benefit from public service content should pay towards its creation. Not if you're a politician maybe, but to the rest of us it's logical. Carole also pointed out that the 5 terrestrial TV stations - BBC 1 and 2, ITV, Channel 4 and Five - are responsible for 90% of the investment in original UK PSB content. All the others put together are responsible for just 10%, despite the fact their revenues are 10 times those of the terrestrial PSBs.
John Whittingdale displayed a remarkable political arrogance in saying, despite the fact that the public had consistently backed levies over top-slicing the licence fee in Ofcom consultations, that he "didn't believe what people told Ofcom". He also said the BBC had more resources than the rest of the broadcasting industry put together. It's not true. He also signalled that commercial public service broadcasters would get a far easier ride under the Tories (and here were we thinking it couldn't get any easier!). He said: "We can't go on requiring them by law to carry on providing public service content". All hail the market!
What became clear from the civil servant from DCMS present is that mechanisms for distributing contestable funds (from top-slicing?) will be in the Queen's Speech and that there is effectively then a 12-week Parliamentary timetable to get it on to the statute books.
That means all of us who care about quality public service broadcasting, who oppose top-slicing as the thin end of the wedge, who care about the universality of PSB need to get active now. There's some ideas for action here.
John Whittingdale displayed a remarkable political arrogance in saying, despite the fact that the public had consistently backed levies over top-slicing the licence fee in Ofcom consultations, that he "didn't believe what people told Ofcom". He also said the BBC had more resources than the rest of the broadcasting industry put together. It's not true. He also signalled that commercial public service broadcasters would get a far easier ride under the Tories (and here were we thinking it couldn't get any easier!). He said: "We can't go on requiring them by law to carry on providing public service content". All hail the market!
What became clear from the civil servant from DCMS present is that mechanisms for distributing contestable funds (from top-slicing?) will be in the Queen's Speech and that there is effectively then a 12-week Parliamentary timetable to get it on to the statute books.
That means all of us who care about quality public service broadcasting, who oppose top-slicing as the thin end of the wedge, who care about the universality of PSB need to get active now. There's some ideas for action here.
Monday, November 02, 2009
If it's good enough for Robert Peston....
Remember me?
OK, so it’s been a while..but I see even Robert Peston has had to make excuses on his blog today for a long period with no posts. He's been too busy too.
If I tried and catch up on everything that’s happened since my last post we’d be here ‘til Christmas. So instead you can get the highlights on the NUJ website including:
* news about our campaign to protect public service broadcasting
* the latest on our equal pay campaigning
* our jobs summit for journalists in the magazine and book sector
And of course there’s more: dozens of internal meetings, rallies and events. I could go on, but I won’t.
Now back to business…
Friday, July 31, 2009
More gravy...less news
Two bits of news that sum up so much of what is wrong with the current business models in media reach us. First amidst the Guardian Media Group's poor results today is the fact that Mark Dodson, the man who has overseen dozens of job cuts and the closure of offices across Greater Manchester and the halving of staff at Channel M has been rewarded with a massive bonus, equivalent to 10% of the company's profits. What a disgrace.
Then the row erupts between Chris Bullivant and Trinity Mirror in the Midlands over the future of some of the titles shut this week. Chris Bullivant claims he could have saved them. Trinity Mirror denies this and would rather close them - and stop any competition. Whatever the merits or otherwise of Chris Bullivant's claims the fact that Trinity Mirror aren't forced to divest themselves of these titles is another disgrace.
Communities are suffering, staff are being axed but the gravy train rolls on and shares rise. Treble gins all round...
Then the row erupts between Chris Bullivant and Trinity Mirror in the Midlands over the future of some of the titles shut this week. Chris Bullivant claims he could have saved them. Trinity Mirror denies this and would rather close them - and stop any competition. Whatever the merits or otherwise of Chris Bullivant's claims the fact that Trinity Mirror aren't forced to divest themselves of these titles is another disgrace.
Communities are suffering, staff are being axed but the gravy train rolls on and shares rise. Treble gins all round...
Keeping occupied
Was looking forward to the picket lines in Birmingham and Coventry on Thursday but instead had to make do with the satisfaction of the chapels' strong stands resulting in compulsory redundancies being withdrawn and staff being redeployed. Despite the allegations that our threatened action was negligent and reckless it was effective in stopping those who did not want to go from losing their jobs...and that's what a trade union is about.
As is happening in lots of other unions there was discussion about tactics for the dispute, even occupying, sitting in and other forms of more radical action. Members have rightly ruled nothing out in fighting to stop compulsory redundancies. Occupations were once common place in the media industry, particularly for some reason in magazine and book publishing. Now that they are spreading across other industries - and there is news today of another one at Thomas Cook in Dublin - media workers are seeing such tactics can be effective. I'm sure it won't be long before we see such action in a media company. Support the Thomas Cook workers here
Today we had a campaigns meeting putting in place details of fringe events at the Labour Party and Lib Dem conference as part of the campaign against top-slicing the BBC licence fee and booked tickets for travel to far-flung places - well Manchester, Brighton, Liverpool as we prepare to take our campaigns on the road. Have also finished off and sent out a branch newsletter, welcomed the excellent victory for press freedom in Ireland (yes, another one!), had a meeting with BBC World Service management about jobs in the South Asia service, written to members of the Local Media Commission established by the union to update them on the submissions, campaigning and other activity we've been involved and spoken to MPs and the IFJ about assistance to an Iranian journalist currently in hiding.
Hope the weather's good tomorrow for a barbecue chez Serwotka. Mark is not just an inspirational General Secretary of the PCS he's a pretty mean chef to boot...
As is happening in lots of other unions there was discussion about tactics for the dispute, even occupying, sitting in and other forms of more radical action. Members have rightly ruled nothing out in fighting to stop compulsory redundancies. Occupations were once common place in the media industry, particularly for some reason in magazine and book publishing. Now that they are spreading across other industries - and there is news today of another one at Thomas Cook in Dublin - media workers are seeing such tactics can be effective. I'm sure it won't be long before we see such action in a media company. Support the Thomas Cook workers here
Today we had a campaigns meeting putting in place details of fringe events at the Labour Party and Lib Dem conference as part of the campaign against top-slicing the BBC licence fee and booked tickets for travel to far-flung places - well Manchester, Brighton, Liverpool as we prepare to take our campaigns on the road. Have also finished off and sent out a branch newsletter, welcomed the excellent victory for press freedom in Ireland (yes, another one!), had a meeting with BBC World Service management about jobs in the South Asia service, written to members of the Local Media Commission established by the union to update them on the submissions, campaigning and other activity we've been involved and spoken to MPs and the IFJ about assistance to an Iranian journalist currently in hiding.
Hope the weather's good tomorrow for a barbecue chez Serwotka. Mark is not just an inspirational General Secretary of the PCS he's a pretty mean chef to boot...
Monday, July 27, 2009
After the floods...plague and pestilence
After the floods come plague and pestilence. Emergency planning for swine flu pandemic now well under way...two staff now gone down with it. Hopefully quick action will contain any spread - so after you read this blog, wash your hands. And don't panic - just follow the advice!
So back to last week. Tuesday I met the union's bank before heading to the Gambian High Commission in London to protest at the arrest and trial of 7 journalists. The joint TUC, Amnesty International, NUJ event was well attended and a good launch to the global day of action.
On Wednesday morning I met Brendan Barber, the TUC General Secretary before heading to the TUC General Council at which I urged wider support for the campaign against top-slicing the BBC licence fee. Joined TUC President Sheila Bearcroft to judge the TUC's awards for reps - organising and health and safety - before shooting off to Parliament to meet John McDonnell MP and the leaders of the RMT, PCS, URTU and POA to discuss joint campaigning around rights at work, public services, the Equality Bill and other cross-union issues.
We also responded to the release of Alan Milburn's Unleashing Aspirations report which took up some of the issues we have been highlighting about access to journalism and how it is increasingly becopming the preserve of those who can afford it. The report falls short of what we want, which is proper and active enforcement of the National Minimum Wage, but it is a useful tool in highlighting the issue and moving it up the political agenda.
Thursday morning I was at the BBC with Bectu General Secretary Gerry Morrissey meeting HR to discuss upcoming negotiations on the move to Broadcasting House or W1 as the project is called and raising some issues regarding BBC pensions and expenses. Later on we had an NUJ/Bectu meeting to talk about recruitment and organisation in the commercial broadcasting sector.
Friday, I had a telephone conference with reps from Trinity Mirror in advance of the strike action planned for this Thursday at titles across the Midlands. I'll be heading up to join them on the picket lines. A second telephone conference with Jim Boumelha, Pierre Vicary and Michelle Stanistreet to discuss the consultation on the future direction of the International News Safety Institute which will be considered at their AGM in Malta. A quick management meeting rounded off the afternoon.
Friday night I was at Wembley - it may be the only time Tottenham get there this year so I wasn't going to miss the chance - for the mighty Wembley Cup watching the best team in the world...play Barcelona.
Saturday morning up far too early to head to Manchester for the NUJ day school on reporting the BNP. Ian Wood the Assistant Editor of the Manchester Evening News was really interesting on the debates they had had before launching their The Truth About the BNP campaign and members from papers where the BNP have a presence on local councils provoked good debate about the nature of coverage. We also touched on the issues of terminology, the physical threats by far right activists to journalists who write about them and sorting the myths from fact around issues such as housing, immigration and so on. A stimulating day.
This morning I'm catching up with all the emails I failed to answer last week (sorry!) and writing letters - to the union's lawyers and to the BBC, putting in place early arrangements for a Jobs Summit for the union's magazine sector (10 October - save the date), and putting the finishing touches to a branch newsletter.
Then it's the dentist...is it ok if i cry now?
So back to last week. Tuesday I met the union's bank before heading to the Gambian High Commission in London to protest at the arrest and trial of 7 journalists. The joint TUC, Amnesty International, NUJ event was well attended and a good launch to the global day of action.
On Wednesday morning I met Brendan Barber, the TUC General Secretary before heading to the TUC General Council at which I urged wider support for the campaign against top-slicing the BBC licence fee. Joined TUC President Sheila Bearcroft to judge the TUC's awards for reps - organising and health and safety - before shooting off to Parliament to meet John McDonnell MP and the leaders of the RMT, PCS, URTU and POA to discuss joint campaigning around rights at work, public services, the Equality Bill and other cross-union issues.
We also responded to the release of Alan Milburn's Unleashing Aspirations report which took up some of the issues we have been highlighting about access to journalism and how it is increasingly becopming the preserve of those who can afford it. The report falls short of what we want, which is proper and active enforcement of the National Minimum Wage, but it is a useful tool in highlighting the issue and moving it up the political agenda.
Thursday morning I was at the BBC with Bectu General Secretary Gerry Morrissey meeting HR to discuss upcoming negotiations on the move to Broadcasting House or W1 as the project is called and raising some issues regarding BBC pensions and expenses. Later on we had an NUJ/Bectu meeting to talk about recruitment and organisation in the commercial broadcasting sector.
Friday, I had a telephone conference with reps from Trinity Mirror in advance of the strike action planned for this Thursday at titles across the Midlands. I'll be heading up to join them on the picket lines. A second telephone conference with Jim Boumelha, Pierre Vicary and Michelle Stanistreet to discuss the consultation on the future direction of the International News Safety Institute which will be considered at their AGM in Malta. A quick management meeting rounded off the afternoon.
Friday night I was at Wembley - it may be the only time Tottenham get there this year so I wasn't going to miss the chance - for the mighty Wembley Cup watching the best team in the world...play Barcelona.
Saturday morning up far too early to head to Manchester for the NUJ day school on reporting the BNP. Ian Wood the Assistant Editor of the Manchester Evening News was really interesting on the debates they had had before launching their The Truth About the BNP campaign and members from papers where the BNP have a presence on local councils provoked good debate about the nature of coverage. We also touched on the issues of terminology, the physical threats by far right activists to journalists who write about them and sorting the myths from fact around issues such as housing, immigration and so on. A stimulating day.
This morning I'm catching up with all the emails I failed to answer last week (sorry!) and writing letters - to the union's lawyers and to the BBC, putting in place early arrangements for a Jobs Summit for the union's magazine sector (10 October - save the date), and putting the finishing touches to a branch newsletter.
Then it's the dentist...is it ok if i cry now?
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Flood waters rise...
Came in this morning to the news we'd been flooded after a water cooler exploded over night and so electricity and phones were out of order - ended up having to send most staff home with the building in darkness and no access to emails, computers etc.. The worst part was no coffee.
Luckily there was coffee at the Publishing Skills Council meeting - the first one I've been to since the convoluted process to enable the union to be represented whilst pretending it is not (I'm called the employee rep or something like that). The PSC is part of Skillset, the sector skills council and it was an interesting meeting beginning to get to grips with the big discussion about the skills needs of those entering the publishing industry today at a period of such massive transformation. There's a range of views around the table but a common understanding that good vocational training and clear advice about training and careers opportunities is important.
Yesterday I spent nearly 4 hours representing a member in a disciplinary hearing before heading to my own union branch - Central London. In the morning I attended the TUC Executive which adopted a good position paper on Digital Britain and in particular in opposition to top-slicing and in favour of the NUJ/BECTU position on levies.
Monday I had been at a meeting of the BBC World Service newsroom chapel discussing some of the ideas for campaigning around top slicing and the likely funding cuts World Service may experience when its Grant in Aid is reviewed as part of government spending plans.
It is clearly going to be a very difficult time for the BBC - we had briefings at the end of last week on the situation facing the pension fund and with Ben Bradshaw on the war path jobs and programmes are going to be under threat. We understand all too well why people want to criticise BBC management - we do it every day but we also understand why many of the media have an interest in attacking the BBC's funding and it is important we distinguish between addressing poor management and action which will weaken the BBC's public service broadcasting. At the moment the cuts include environment and economics correspondents and journalists covering world news and arts. Where's the 'tackling waste' in that.
Friday was the union's National Executive Council - 9 hours of debate and discussion on topics covering job cuts across the industry, union finances, membership, motions for annual conference, policy issues as well as topics like the News of the World hacking revelations and the implications of Digital Britain.
The NEC also gave its full backing to all those resisting job cuts at profitable media companies and those defending quality in their workplaces. Authority for action was given at newspapers in Middelsborough, Newcastle, Birmingham, at Penguin, at Signal Radio in Stoke whilst the NEC welcomed the campaigning in Scotland which had resulted in MSPs criticising the impact of cuts in newspapers.
Luckily there was coffee at the Publishing Skills Council meeting - the first one I've been to since the convoluted process to enable the union to be represented whilst pretending it is not (I'm called the employee rep or something like that). The PSC is part of Skillset, the sector skills council and it was an interesting meeting beginning to get to grips with the big discussion about the skills needs of those entering the publishing industry today at a period of such massive transformation. There's a range of views around the table but a common understanding that good vocational training and clear advice about training and careers opportunities is important.
Yesterday I spent nearly 4 hours representing a member in a disciplinary hearing before heading to my own union branch - Central London. In the morning I attended the TUC Executive which adopted a good position paper on Digital Britain and in particular in opposition to top-slicing and in favour of the NUJ/BECTU position on levies.
Monday I had been at a meeting of the BBC World Service newsroom chapel discussing some of the ideas for campaigning around top slicing and the likely funding cuts World Service may experience when its Grant in Aid is reviewed as part of government spending plans.
It is clearly going to be a very difficult time for the BBC - we had briefings at the end of last week on the situation facing the pension fund and with Ben Bradshaw on the war path jobs and programmes are going to be under threat. We understand all too well why people want to criticise BBC management - we do it every day but we also understand why many of the media have an interest in attacking the BBC's funding and it is important we distinguish between addressing poor management and action which will weaken the BBC's public service broadcasting. At the moment the cuts include environment and economics correspondents and journalists covering world news and arts. Where's the 'tackling waste' in that.
Friday was the union's National Executive Council - 9 hours of debate and discussion on topics covering job cuts across the industry, union finances, membership, motions for annual conference, policy issues as well as topics like the News of the World hacking revelations and the implications of Digital Britain.
The NEC also gave its full backing to all those resisting job cuts at profitable media companies and those defending quality in their workplaces. Authority for action was given at newspapers in Middelsborough, Newcastle, Birmingham, at Penguin, at Signal Radio in Stoke whilst the NEC welcomed the campaigning in Scotland which had resulted in MSPs criticising the impact of cuts in newspapers.
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
The FCO has better canapes than the TUC
A relatively successful evening's schmoozing and lobbying at the TUC's annual reception for Parliamentarians.
First target was Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw to secure a meeting with him about Digital Britain and its implications for media workers. He's the first to arrive and I'm first in there. Job done.
Follow that up with a chat with John McDonnell about arranging a lobby of Parliament over top-slicing and then an agree with Tribune editor Chris McLaughlin to pen something about it for a forthcoming issue. Had a chat with TUC Deputy General Secretary Frances O'Grady about the work of the Panel on Fair Access to the Professions which is looking at a number of issues, including, thanks to the lobbying of ourselves and BECTU, the issue of the abuse of work experience. Frances sits on the panel for the TUC and has been instrumental in getting NUJ and other unions concerns on the agenda. The report is expected shortly and whilst it is unlikely to offer a panacea I am hopeful it will be another tool in trying to halt the shameful abuse of those wanting to break in to journalism and break down some of the barriers students from poorer backgrounds face in getting in to our increasingly privileged profession.
Catch up with NUJ members covering the event, like Kevin Maguire from The Mirror, communications and press officers from the CWU, Unite and others before Gordon and Sarah grace us with their presence and the PM says a few words while a few bemused tourists peer at him through the windows of Church House.
Earlier in the evening I'd been with campaigners from Colombia at a reception at Lancaster House where the new Minister Chris Bryant was due to speak. He hadn't by the time I left for the TUC event but I can report that the canapes were far fancier. But one question bugged me. It was an event about Latin America and all the serving staff were Latin American. Coincidence or cheap labour or tasteless gimmick? Answers on a postcard to.....
Today I've meetings on union recruitment followed by meetings of the National Joint Council (NJC) at the BBC with the Trust followed by a briefing on the state of play with BBC pensions.
First target was Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw to secure a meeting with him about Digital Britain and its implications for media workers. He's the first to arrive and I'm first in there. Job done.
Follow that up with a chat with John McDonnell about arranging a lobby of Parliament over top-slicing and then an agree with Tribune editor Chris McLaughlin to pen something about it for a forthcoming issue. Had a chat with TUC Deputy General Secretary Frances O'Grady about the work of the Panel on Fair Access to the Professions which is looking at a number of issues, including, thanks to the lobbying of ourselves and BECTU, the issue of the abuse of work experience. Frances sits on the panel for the TUC and has been instrumental in getting NUJ and other unions concerns on the agenda. The report is expected shortly and whilst it is unlikely to offer a panacea I am hopeful it will be another tool in trying to halt the shameful abuse of those wanting to break in to journalism and break down some of the barriers students from poorer backgrounds face in getting in to our increasingly privileged profession.
Catch up with NUJ members covering the event, like Kevin Maguire from The Mirror, communications and press officers from the CWU, Unite and others before Gordon and Sarah grace us with their presence and the PM says a few words while a few bemused tourists peer at him through the windows of Church House.
Earlier in the evening I'd been with campaigners from Colombia at a reception at Lancaster House where the new Minister Chris Bryant was due to speak. He hadn't by the time I left for the TUC event but I can report that the canapes were far fancier. But one question bugged me. It was an event about Latin America and all the serving staff were Latin American. Coincidence or cheap labour or tasteless gimmick? Answers on a postcard to.....
Today I've meetings on union recruitment followed by meetings of the National Joint Council (NJC) at the BBC with the Trust followed by a briefing on the state of play with BBC pensions.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
