The following is a draft motion to be considered at our next meeting on 31 October.

This DM notes that many journalists now working for new media outlets previous worked in areas of the media with NUJ organisations. DM regrets that few were recruited at that time.

DM believes that it’s essential the union recruits young journalists at the start of the careers, when they can be supported and mentored by more experienced NUJ members.

However, DM notes that some members have continued to have a dismissive attitude towards young journalists, in particular those working online, that alienates young journalists and makes it more difficult to recruit them.

DM believes that, when campaigning against churnalism, clickbait, targets and other issues that impact on journalistic quality, members should be very careful not to blame the young journalists who have no option but to do the work assigned to them. DM notes that those young journalists are often overworked and underpaid and need the support of the union.

DM instruct the NEC to work with workplace reps to ensure that, when campaigning against management decisions that reduce journalistic quality, they focus on recruiting young journalists instead of criticising them.

Proposed by Donnacha DeLong