The NUJ London Digital Media branch condemns, in the strongest terms, the targeted killings of Al Jazeera journalists and media workers in Gaza on Sunday.

As a branch that includes Al Jazeera colleagues here in London, we stand shoulder to shoulder with our members as they grieve this devastating loss – and especially with the families of journalists Anas Al Sharif and Mohammed Qraiqea, and photographers Ibrahim Al Thaher and Mohamed Nofal.

Seven lives were taken — camera operators, correspondents, friends and colleagues — people who showed the world the reality of war at unimaginable personal risk. They should be with their families today; instead, we mourn them, we remember them, and we honour their work.

Since 7 October 2023, at least 195 journalists and media workers have been killed, 181 of them Palestinian. This is the deadliest conflict for our profession in living memory. Every name on that list is not only a colleague lost, but a voice silenced and a community left without its storyteller.

The targeting of journalists must stop immediately, with a full and independent investigation into these killings, and justice and accountability for those responsible.

We urge members, friends and allies to join vigils and protests in the days ahead. Show the world that the killing of journalists will not be met with silence. Show the world that, even in the darkest days, the truth still matters.

Press freedom is not an abstract ideal – it is paid for, too often, in the lives of those who believe the public has a right to know. 

We will not forget them, and we will not stop demanding the truth they gave their lives to tell.

It’s time for the branch to draft its motions for the DM. However, we have a slight problem – our next branch meeting is not until after the deadline (the problem with pre-booking venues!).

As a result, we’re calling an emergency online meeting on 21 November to agree our motions ahead of the deadline.

The invite link will be emailed to members, it can also be received from donnacha.delong@talktalk.net

Draft motions will be added here in advance of the meeting. If you have something you’d like to propose, please email donnacha.delong@talktalk.net

Draft motions proposed by Donnacha DeLong:

We can also nominate people to the NUJ’s councils and committees. If you’re interested in being nominated/renominated, please get in touch.

In the last year, our members have achieved trade union recognition after long campaigns.

Members at Alaraby achieved recognition in June 2020: NUJ secures deal to represent journalists at Alaraby TV

Members at Iran International achieved recognition a few weeks ago: NUJ wins recognition at Iran International

Members at openDemocracy achieved recognition only last week: NUJ welcomes recognition at openDemocracy

Recognition means that the employer agrees to negotiate important issues with the union, including pay and conditions. Organising for recognition involves recruiting enough eligible people so that the majority of the “bargaining unit”, the agreed section of the overall staff the NUJ seeks to recognise, are members.

Then the union will formally contact the employer and ask for voluntary recognition. If they refuse, the union may engage in a formal recognition process through the Central Arbitration Committee. This is a long and complicated procedure and less than ideal.

If any chapel or group of members who have not yet organised into a chapel want help and support starting the process of organising for recognition, please get in touch with the branch. We have people who can advise you and also have funds to support activities.

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.