![[Freelance]](../gif/fl3H.png)
NUJ invites journalists to ‘follow the money’
Let‘s kick some ideas about before writing that DM motion...
Bills, bills, bills. If you thought keeping your household solvent while prices for everything rocket, try being a trade union. Supporting members through professional advice and training – not to mention legal help on tap, representation during pay disputes, push-back against over-zealous policing, co-ordination of regional and industrial sectors, and providing recognised input into the development of government legislation affecting journalists – doesn't come free. On the contrary, it's getting more expensive just like everything else.
And here's the money for my monthly membership subs... Oh.
The NUJ, being a wholly democratic body, invited rank-and-file members to an open meeting to brainstorm the ongoing challenge of financing the union fairly. This finance conference took place via Zoom on the afternoon of Saturday 23 March and it was strongly attended by interested individuals and branch representatives alike, not to mention quite a few from London Freelance Branch.
The big issue is that the vast majority of the union's income is derived from its members' subscription fees. It's only natural that these should increase to meet rising costs but is the current fee structure equitable? And how can this be balanced with the desire to grow the membership?
After the union's treasurer John Barsby and chair of the Finance Committee Chris Frost provided some background, participants were allocated into one of four virtual meeting rooms, each to discuss a specific aspect of NUJ financing. The idea was to allow everyone to kick about ideas freely without being restricted to the polarised format of formal conference debate.
There was plenty to discuss. Are the current earnings-based subscription grades obsolete? Should there be more grades, or should they be replaced with a simple 1-per-cent-of-earnings rate? Should high earners pay proportionally more than low earners, or will that drive them out of the union? Should the eligibility rule that members should earn at least half of their income from journalism be dispensed with? Should the rules and rates be different for those managing with a disability or – freelancers, take note – dealing with precarious work and irregular incomes?
The matter of raising subscription fees arises every two years at the NUJ Delegates' Meeting (DM). But this often leads to a whole range of interesting but otherwise incompatible solutions being debated without giving delegates nor the branches that elected them, the time to really think them through before being forced to make a decision. It is hoped that the finance conference will trigger branch-level discussions earlier than usual, and providing members with informed debating points when it comes to drawing up motions later this year in advance of DM 2025.
Returning to the main conference room, each group summarised the ideas they had shared. While no decisions were made, furious notes were taken and attendees left with a much better idea of the financial challenge ahead. Union vice-president Gerry Curran reminded everyone that further consultations regarding Industrial Councils and the organisation of DM itself were still ongoing; contributions were actively encouraged.
Helping run the conference were several representatives from head office, including general secretary Michelle Stanistreet. Union president Natasha Hirst chaired the event.