Nominations are for:
NEC – Black members, Disabled members, Industrial (1 seat each); London geographical region (4 seats); SE England (2 seats).
NUJ Councils –
Industrial (Magazine and Books Industrial Council [MABIC]) – 8 seats
Ethics Council – 1 seat
DM Elected bodies – Equality council (7 to be elected); Health and Safety Committee (1 seat for Magazines); Disabled members (7 TBE); NUJ Extra (5 TBE); Journalist Editorial Advisory Board (7 TBE); 60+ Pensioners committee (6 TBE); Professional Training Committee (6 TBE); Standing Orders Committee (5 TBE)
A brief summary of each Council / Committee’s work below, for more details see the attached guidance notes.
NEC
The National executive council (NEC) is the main supervisory body of the union, carrying out delegate meeting (DM) instructions and running the NUJ in between DMs.
The NEC meets approximately five times a year (plus a meeting prior and post the Delegate meeting), almost always on a Friday, with meetings starting at 11 am and going on for up to eight hours. Some of its meetings are scheduled over two days. The meetings during the year are currently held at Headland House, London.
Most, but not all NEC members, have undertaken other representative roles within the union before standing for the NEC – for example, as workplace representatives, industrial council members or branch committee positions.
MABIC
The union has industrial councils for each of its industrial sectors (including councils for newspapers and agencies, new media, broadcasting, freelance, PR and communications, magazines, and books).
The National Organiser (Magazines & Book and Public Relations & Communications) is currently the servicing officer for the Magazines and Books Industrial Council (MABIC).
This council promotes and supervise negotiations and agreements with individuals or groups of employers on wages and conditions of employment and allied problems – including the promotion of vocational training – within the Magazines and Books sectors and is encouraged to carry out recruitment and organisation activities within their own sectors. They are an advisory committee to the NEC and have the right to make representations to the NEC.
The council is elected every 2 years and meets 6 times a year, you can attend the meeting in person or participate via the conference phone.
Ethics Council
The ethics council deals with members’ complaints, promotes ethical guidance and provides advice and support.
The council meets 4-6 times a year, you can attend in person, or participate via the conference phone.
Equality Council
The equality council tackles issues relating to gender, sexual orientation, age and childcare.
LGBT members have a group calledNUJ pride and the equality council currently has responsibility for dealing with LGBT issues.
The purposes of the council is to; monitor the progress of relevant legislation and campaign for improvements where necessary; oppose and publicise, where possible, cases of sex-based discrimination within the union and promote equality within the union; campaign against sexism in the media, encourage the formation of pro-equality groups within the union and liaise with pro-equality groups and chapel and branch equality officers.
The council meets 4 times a year, you can attend the meetings in person or participate via the conference phone. If there are more members nominated than seats there will be an election at DM 2020.
Black Members Council
The Black members’ council (BMC) involves our black and minority ethnic members and campaigns against racism. Nominations and elections for the BMC are held separately by the Legal and Equality Officer, who is the servicing officer.
Disabled Members Council
The disabled members’ council (DMC) involves our disabled members and campaigns to improve society’s view of disabled people.
The purposes of the DMC is to; monitor relevant legislation, campaign for improved access for disabled members; highlight instances of discrimination on the grounds of disability within the union; act on all issues relevant to disabled members; campaign against discrimination on the grounds of disability in the media; work with other unions towards the full integration of disabled members.
You can attend the meetings in person or participate via the conference phone. If there are more members nominated than seats there will be an election at DM 2020.
Health and Safety Committee
The purpose of the Health and Safety committee is to campaign to raise the profile of health and safety representatives, to encourage branches and chapels to elect reps and to encourage members to undertake essential and regular training to best represent the interests of members at work in the branches and chapels. To monitor relevant legislation and political developments, highlight good and bad practices within the union and more widely, campaigning and to promote the health and safety interests of NUJ members and report regularly to the NEC. You can attend the meeting in person or participate via the conference phone. If there are more members nominated than seats there will be an election at DM 2020.
60+ Council
The 60+ council campaigns on issues relating to older people, such as 60+ ageism, pensions (state and occupational) and related equality issues. The purpose of the Council is working with other appropriate and relevant bodies within the union and externally, to monitor relevant legislation and seek improvements; oppose and publicise age-based discrimination; campaign against ageism in the media; promote equality within the union and externally; raise work issues within the union relevant to older members; elect the union’s delegations to the annual NPC’s Pensioners Parliament and Biennial Delegate Conference and encourage members aged 60 and older to use their professional experience to support the NUJ and relevant councils and the activities of the National Pensioners’ Convention by being delegated to attend the NPC’s annual Pensioners’ Parliament. The 60+ Council will agree its own quorum, standing orders and procedures; and operate under a budget set by the NEC.
The council consists of 6 members, nominated by branches and elected at DM 2020, if there are more members nominated than seats.
Journalist Editorial Advisory Board
The editor and JEAB edits the union’s journal with editorial independence over content of the journal and associated Journalist content on the website. Union website pages holding content taken from the union’s journal shall be under the editorial control of the editor of the union’s journal.
The council meets 3 times a year, you can attend in person, or participate via the conference phone. If there are more members nominated than seats there will be an election at DM 2020.
Standing Orders Committee
The standing orders committee (SOC) is elected by the NUJ delegate meeting (DM). Its members are the servants of DM.
The committee advises on procedure and considers every motion and amendment. It tries to allow conference to achieve full and fair debate on the agenda within the rules of the union and the standing orders of conference. SOC meets for two days immediately after the last date for receipt of motions. It plans a rough timetable for conference and writes the proposed standing orders.
SOC meets twice a year and throughout the DM conference that takes place every 2 years. If there are more members nominated than seats there will be an election at DM 2020.
NUJ Extra
NUJ Extra is a registered charity. The object of the charity is the relief of financial hardship of NUJ members, former NUJ members and dependants of deceased members. Trustees have independent control over, and legal responsibility for, the charity’s management and administration.
As a trustee you need to act in the charity’s best interest, manage the charity’s resources responsibly, act with reasonable care and skill, and ensure your charity is accountable by complying with statutory accounting and reporting.
The committee consists of 9 trustees; 5 DM-elected members and 4 appointed by the NEC. The Council is elected for a four-year term. In a 12-month period there must be at least 4 ordinary meetings, presently held at Head office, London. Meetings can be attended in person, or by telephone. If there are more members nominated than seats there will be an election at DM 2020.
Professional Training Committee (PROFCOM)
PROFCOM oversees the NUJ’s professional training work and reports on union training.
The committee consists of 6 seats. The council meets 4 times a year, you can attend in person, or participate via the conference phone. If there are more members nominated than seats there will be an election at DM 2020.
In order to be eligible for one of these seats, you need to be a full member, be up to date with your contributions i.e. not 3 months or more in arrears.
For more information about NUJ elections to Councils/Committees see:
https://www.nuj.org.uk/about/union-democracy/nuj-elections/