Author: Donnacha DeLong

Originally from Dublin, Ireland, Donnacha DeLong is an NUJ activist, journalist and online communications consultant with more than 20 years' professional experience.

Branch DM motions

October 15, 2019

The NUJ delegate meeting 2020 will take place from 25 – 26 April 2020.

LIBNM branch can submit motions on issues members want to raise, from changing the rules to make the union more efficient to setting policy and planning campaigns.

Any member can propose a motion to the next branch meeting where it will potentially be amended to seek to ensure it will be ruled in order and then the meeting will vote on whether or not to submit the motion.

If you’ve got an idea for a motion, please send the details to donnacha.delong@talktalk.net before the meeting so that it can be posted here on the blog so other members can see them. Donnacha is a member of the union’s Standing Orders Committee and can help you formulate the motion.

The first few motions have already been posted below on the blog.

Draft motion 4: Applications

October 13, 2019

DM recognises that the requirement to name a proposer and seconder is more honoured in the breach than in the observance. It ceased to be a reason to reject applicants many years ago and can be confusing to applicants who may know no other members of the NUJ.

DM instructs the NEC to amend the rules to remove this condition from applications and to replace it on applications forms with an optional question about NUJ members who may have recruited them or encouraged them to join.

Proposed by: Donnacha DeLong.

Draft motion 3: Membership

October 13, 2019

DM notes that as technological developments reshape the media and reduce the need for technical workers, the union’s membership restrictions limit potential recruitment and our industrial strength.

DM believes that the rules can create unnecessary divisions in the workplace whereby, for example, support or technical staff must join another union or remain unrepresented. DM notes that, in many of our workplaces, no other union has sought to recruit non-journalistic workers.

This DM believes that the NUJ should become the union for media workers and open membership up to all those working in the media who wish to join.

DM therefore instructs the NEC to amend the rules to give effect to the principle that anyone working for a media company or in the media departments of other companies should qualify for membership, regardless of their role.

DM instructs the NEC to seek to ensure that these changes do not impact on existing agreements with other unions in some workplaces and not to seek to recruit members of other unions.

Proposed by: Donnacha DeLong.

Draft motion 2: Chapel applications

October 13, 2019

This DM recognises that branch attendance by members is generally low. DM further notes that branches approve applications for people they know nothing about beyond the basic information provided by the Membership Department, as many applicants do not attend meetings.

Chapels who actually know the applicants would be better placed to approve the applications.

DM therefore instructs the NEC to amend the rules to allow approval of applications by a meeting of the relevant chapel or branch, whichever takes place first.

Proposed by: Donnacha DeLong.