New members deal with the challenges of freelance journalism

THE MEETING for new members of London Freelance Branch (LFB) on 29 August saw a diverse group of journalists, including experts in various fields from investigative journalism to field reporters.

The virtual gathering

Image © Shaimaa Elhadidy

We discussed the challenges of freelance journalism, including negotiating appropriate rates for each piece of work, and learned more about LFB and the union.

In the meeting, chaired by NUJ LFB Membership Secretary Shaimaa Elhadidy, we also discussed the services that LFB offers on its website to facilitate a fair deal for freelance journalists.

Veteran NUJ member and former Membership Secretary Phil Sutcliffe attended and spoke about the union, addressing questions related to the NUJ, motions and LFB activities.

LFB Training Officer Mariam Elsayeh discussed training courses, the pitching clinic, the mentoring scheme, and other training opportunities provided by LFB.

NUJ LFB Membership Secretary Shaimaa Elhadidy and veteran NUJ member and former Membership Secretary Phil Sutcliffe attended the previous meeting, on 30 May. We discussed updates that some of our new members faced, the motivations behind their membership applications and needs for union support, and how to benefit from LFB programmes, including determining appropriate rates for each piece of work.

We also discussed training opportunities and branch gatherings and later reached out to several members who attended to provide more information on what we discussed during the meeting. There was interest in training courses, so we shared what we knew and planned to bring the Training Officer to our next meeting.

The next LFB new members' meeting is on Thursday 28 November. Check the Branch calendar for more.