The National Union of Journalists has voted to increase its subscription rates by 5pc as it continues to address its financial difficulties.
It means that monthly fees will rise by between 60p and £1.04 depending on grade of membership.
National Executive Committee member Len Mulholland said the increase was “equivalent to the cost of two packets of extra strong peppermints a month.”
The move was agreed at the union’s Annual Delegate Meeting in Newcastle, which also voted narrowly to censure the leadership over its handling of the financial crisis.
Delegates backed a motion from Nottingham NUJ members which highlighted the need for the union to be “a competent viable force which is able to provide support to its members.”
However a motion calling for an inquiry into a so-called ‘golden goodbye’ payment to former general secretary Jeremy Dear was defeated.
Pete Murray, who had been union president at the time of Jeremy’s departure, apologised that he had not informed the NEC of the £48,239 payment byt insisted the outgoing general secretary had been contractually entitled to it.
In a further cost-saving measure, delegates voted to move to a two-year cycle for the ADM which is currently held every 18 months.
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Bye bye union, in the past three years I have had one 3% rise in salary. Poor management and useless, can’t think of how the union have helped me or the others who have been made redundant. I’d rather they axe the quarterly magazine and bring membership fees down.
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Think a packet of Trebor’s finest costs 50p at the moment!
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I was made redundant and the union was pretty supportive and helpful. I’m a member, but don’t have any other connection.
I think it’s important to remember that the membership are the ones who chose the leadership – or not, depending on whether you vote or not. Being part of a union can’t solve all the problems facing the newspaper industry, but I’d rather be part of a collective group with broadly shared interests than on my own. With any membership organisation, there is a responsibility on the members to be active and to advocate on their own behalf as well as for the leadership to do it. How many NUJ members spend their time running the industry down when they could betrying to be positive about journalism as a much-needed profession?
My breath will just have to smell less minty fresh from now on.
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