Committee responsibilities

Your Branch Needs You!

LONDON FREELANCE Branch is run by working freelances, for working freelances. That means that every year we need volunteers to help run the branch. You can nominate yourself at the January meeting for any of the branch posts.

The Committee meets on the Mondays following Branch meetings, from 18:30 to 20:30 sharp.

Chair:

• chair branch and branch committee meetings in accordance with standing orders
• liaise with committee members as and when necessary
• act as spokesperson for the branch in dealings with NUJ headquarters and officers, and in any dealings with the press
• lead the branch delegation at annual delegate meeting
• write the annual report

Vice-chair: stand in for the chair, when needed

Secretary:

• write and distribute agenda and minutes for branch and committee meetings, book rooms
• maintain the domestic affairs of the branch in some semblance of order
• liaise with NUJ headquarters over issues including delegate meetings and elections to union bodies

Membership secretary & new members' reps:

• liaise with the union's membership department over applications
• present lists of applicants at Branch meetings
• welcome new members into membership
• sign forms
• organise occasional briefing/networking meetings for new members

Welfare officer:

• send out claim forms to full members who have paid their subs for at least one year and are in need
• sign the claim forms if they come back accompanied by a medical certificate
• chivvy the NUJ finance department over payment if necessary
• assess new claims to the NUJ Extra charitable fund
• more here.

Since members’ reasons for needing to contact a welfare officer are often sensitive, we aim to have one female and one male in post.

Treasurer: look after branch finances, including:

• advising on balances
• submitting accounts to HQ
• scrutinising invoices and arranging for bills to be paid

Editor of the Freelance:

• plan mailing dates;
• book into printers;
• plan copy in conjunction with branch committee and freelance organiser;
• commission (for free) or write copy;
• sub, layout, panic over illustrations;
• take to printers;
• sleep;
• post to website;
• repeat.

Deputy Editor: sleuth out better stories, learn the technical ropes.

The editors are remunerated.

Training officers: (up to two) co-ordinate any training the branch organises

Equality officer: advise branch on promoting equal opportunities for journalists

Chapel liaison officer: A new post to maintain contact with NUJ groups in workplaces and encourage participation by freelance representatives.

Social media officer: Manage the Branch's social media accounts, especially its Twitter feed @NUJ_LFB, and @NUJLFB.bsky.social. More details of the role here. This is a remunerated post.

Members without portfolio: take on jobs as they arise... prepare to possibly take on one of the things above

DM Delegation: (9 places) vote according to mandates where given by Branch, otherwise decide collective position among the delegation. (DM = Delegate meeting, the Union's conference, every two years.)

Auditors: (not Committee members): check Branch accounts at year end.