National Union of Journalists
Encyclopedia
The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) is a trade union
for journalists in the United Kingdom
and the Republic of Ireland
. It was founded in 1907 and has 38,000 members. It is a member of the International Federation of Journalists
(IFJ).
, Freelance, Magazine
and Book
, Broadcasting
, New Media
and Press
and PR
.
There are also national Executive Councils, covering all sectors, for Ireland and Scotland. The Irish Executive Council, which has a higher degree of autonomy, covers Northern Ireland
as well as the Republic.
The union's structure is democratic and its supreme decision-making body is its Annual Delegate Meeting, a gathering of elected delegates from all branches across the UK, Ireland and Europe.
Between meetings, decisions lie with the NUJ's National Executive Council, a committee of 27 people, elected annually by members. The NEC is chaired by a President, elected, along with a Vice-President and Treasurer, at the Annual Delegate Meeting.
The General Secretary (GS) is elected every five years by a national ballot of all members. The current GS is Michelle Stanistreet.
The General Secretary is responsible for the day-to-day running of the union and directing its staff. However, important decisions such as authorising industrial action must be taken by the NEC.
, IBA
, ILR
stations and S4C
, caused the disruption of broadcasting on BBC2 and Channel 4
, BBC1 showed back-to-back cartoons instead of the normal service.
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
for journalists in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. It was founded in 1907 and has 38,000 members. It is a member of the International Federation of Journalists
International Federation of Journalists
International Federation of Journalists, IFJ, is a global union federation of journalists' trade unions—the largest in the world. The organization aims to protect and strengthen the rights and freedoms of journalists...
(IFJ).
Structure
There is a range of national councils below the NEC, covering different sections and areas of activity. There is an industrial council for each of the NUJ's "industrial" sectors -- Newspapers and AgenciesNews agency
A news agency is an organization of journalists established to supply news reports to news organizations: newspapers, magazines, and radio and television broadcasters. Such an agency may also be referred to as a wire service, newswire or news service.-History:The oldest news agency is Agence...
, Freelance, Magazine
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
and Book
Book
A book is a set or collection of written, printed, illustrated, or blank sheets, made of hot lava, paper, parchment, or other materials, usually fastened together to hinge at one side. A single sheet within a book is called a leaf or leaflet, and each side of a leaf is called a page...
, Broadcasting
Broadcast journalism
Broadcast journalism is the field of news and journals which are "broadcast", that is, published by electrical methods, instead of the older methods, such as printed newspapers and posters. Broadcast methods include radio , television , and, especially recently, the Internet generally...
, New Media
New media
New media is a broad term in media studies that emerged in the latter part of the 20th century. For example, new media holds out a possibility of on-demand access to content any time, anywhere, on any digital device, as well as interactive user feedback, creative participation and community...
and Press
News media
The news media are those elements of the mass media that focus on delivering news to the general public or a target public.These include print media , broadcast news , and more recently the Internet .-Etymology:A medium is a carrier of something...
and PR
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
.
There are also national Executive Councils, covering all sectors, for Ireland and Scotland. The Irish Executive Council, which has a higher degree of autonomy, covers Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
as well as the Republic.
The union's structure is democratic and its supreme decision-making body is its Annual Delegate Meeting, a gathering of elected delegates from all branches across the UK, Ireland and Europe.
Between meetings, decisions lie with the NUJ's National Executive Council, a committee of 27 people, elected annually by members. The NEC is chaired by a President, elected, along with a Vice-President and Treasurer, at the Annual Delegate Meeting.
The General Secretary (GS) is elected every five years by a national ballot of all members. The current GS is Michelle Stanistreet.
The General Secretary is responsible for the day-to-day running of the union and directing its staff. However, important decisions such as authorising industrial action must be taken by the NEC.
General Secretaries
- 1907: William Watts
- 1918: Harry Richardson
- 1936: Clement Bundock
- 1952: Jim BradleyJim Bradley (trade unionist)James Joseph William Bradley was a trade unionist and General Secretary of the Fireman's Trade Union in the United Kingdom.Bradley was the son of an engineer and station officer in London Fire Brigade...
- 1969: Ken Morgan
- 1977: Ken Ashton
- 1985: Harry ConroyHarry ConroyHarry Conroy was a trade union leader and journalist. He was the leader of the National Union of Journalists from 1985 to 1990....
- 1990: Steve Turner
- 1992: John Foster
- 2001: Jeremy DearJeremy DearJeremy Dear was the General Secretary of the National Union of Journalists in Great Britain and Ireland, from 2001 to 2011.He has a reputation as one of the Awkward Squad of left-wing trade unionists. He is married to Paula Dear who is a journalist with the BBC. Jeremy Dear is a supporter of the...
- 2011: Michelle Stanistreet
History
On 7th August, 1985, some members of the union engaged in a labour dispute with BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, IBA
IBA
-Iba:People*Clarence Iba , American basketball coach*Erol Iba , Indonesian footballer*Henry Iba , American basketball coach*Moe Iba , American basketball coach*Itsuki Iba, a fictional characterPlaces...
, ILR
ILR
ILR may refer to:* Institute for Legal Reform, an advocacy group founded in 1998 by the United States Chamber of Commerce* Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations...
stations and S4C
S4C
S4C , currently branded as S4/C, is a Welsh television channel broadcast from the capital, Cardiff. The first television channel to be aimed specifically at a Welsh-speaking audience, it is the fifth oldest British television channel .The channel - initially broadcast on...
, caused the disruption of broadcasting on BBC2 and Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
, BBC1 showed back-to-back cartoons instead of the normal service.