There is a growing demand for our union officials to submit grievances on behalf of members. The issues are usually related to mismanagement which might include bullying or victimisation. Some of these cases end up in the courts particularly where discrimination is part of the problem. The stupid thing is that almost of all of them can be avoided in the first place or sorted out at an early stage with a sensible response from the managers involved.
In some companies however there appears to be an obstinate reluctance to settle in favour of the employee. For example the NUJ has taken nearly 20 grievances against Newsquest management in the last few years and i can't recall one which was upheld. The Daily Record & Sunday Mail is a similar story with a number ending up costing these companies an arm and leg in legal costs and settlements. Is it ego or power? Who can say but surely the beancounters must be asking questions about these costs.
In some ways it keeps the union in good stead as the publicity and credit does wonders for our reputation and recruitment or retention. But is it neccessary to put people through the mill, damaging their well-being just because some people can't manage for toffee? Give us some common sense and humanity and do us all a favour - particularly your pockets.
Tuesday 18 January 2011
Friday 14 January 2011
Human rights.
Journalism is a human rights issue and will be the focus of NUJ Scotland's campaign work this year. We are savouring the sweet taste of success only weeks into 2011 and are already fighting on various fronts. Our first victory was for investigative journalism and against censorship and opression.
That might sound grand - nevertheless it is true. Film making journalists Anthony Baxter and Richard Phinney of Montrose Pictures were arrested and charged with breach of the peace by Grampian Police. They only appeared to be breaching the peace of Donald Trump's lackeys, by asking (very politely) when they were going to repair the water supply to their neighbours, the local residents who live close to the super-duper golf development. While building a new road over a local well, a Trump digger drove it's shovel into the clay pipe supplying water to the adjacent farms and houses stopping the flow of H2O for over a week.
I watched the film rushes this week and was shocked at the actions of Aberdeen's boys in blue as they huckled the hacks into handcuffs and removed the camera equipment, mid-interview in the garden of a thirsty local woman just wanting to flush her loo.
As NUJ National Organiser I do try and support our members and wrote to the police complaints office seeking assurances that the Northern bobbies are not employed solely to stop bona fide journalists from holding the likes of Donald Trump and his diggers to account. The charges were dropped eventually and records of fingerprint and DNA were apparently expunged. A correct decision but the intimidatory nature of the police action is something that requires a close-watching.
I have had to intervene on behalf of two other NUJ members who also face a threat to their freedom and health for exposing "the great and the good". These guys have written critical articles about their respective government ministers and are not flavour of the month in their countries of birth.
Charles Atangana is facing deportation to Cameroon, where he has already faced arrest and torture. His fellow Glasgow branch member Alieu Ceesay was targeted this week by the Gambian Justice Minister who made threatening noises about "evil" exiles campaigning against human rights abuses in the African state. Both men have also been targeted by the UK Borders Agency and are fighting with the support of the NUJ against deportation.
A free night of music, film and craic under the title Journalism is a human right, has been organised for Tuesday January 18th from 7.30pm to 11pm in the CCA in Sauchiehall Street. This is one of a number of events planned for this year to raise awareness of this issue, watch this space and look out for the Trump film in the spring.
That might sound grand - nevertheless it is true. Film making journalists Anthony Baxter and Richard Phinney of Montrose Pictures were arrested and charged with breach of the peace by Grampian Police. They only appeared to be breaching the peace of Donald Trump's lackeys, by asking (very politely) when they were going to repair the water supply to their neighbours, the local residents who live close to the super-duper golf development. While building a new road over a local well, a Trump digger drove it's shovel into the clay pipe supplying water to the adjacent farms and houses stopping the flow of H2O for over a week.
I watched the film rushes this week and was shocked at the actions of Aberdeen's boys in blue as they huckled the hacks into handcuffs and removed the camera equipment, mid-interview in the garden of a thirsty local woman just wanting to flush her loo.
As NUJ National Organiser I do try and support our members and wrote to the police complaints office seeking assurances that the Northern bobbies are not employed solely to stop bona fide journalists from holding the likes of Donald Trump and his diggers to account. The charges were dropped eventually and records of fingerprint and DNA were apparently expunged. A correct decision but the intimidatory nature of the police action is something that requires a close-watching.
I have had to intervene on behalf of two other NUJ members who also face a threat to their freedom and health for exposing "the great and the good". These guys have written critical articles about their respective government ministers and are not flavour of the month in their countries of birth.
Charles Atangana is facing deportation to Cameroon, where he has already faced arrest and torture. His fellow Glasgow branch member Alieu Ceesay was targeted this week by the Gambian Justice Minister who made threatening noises about "evil" exiles campaigning against human rights abuses in the African state. Both men have also been targeted by the UK Borders Agency and are fighting with the support of the NUJ against deportation.
A free night of music, film and craic under the title Journalism is a human right, has been organised for Tuesday January 18th from 7.30pm to 11pm in the CCA in Sauchiehall Street. This is one of a number of events planned for this year to raise awareness of this issue, watch this space and look out for the Trump film in the spring.
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