This year's Annual General meeting will be held at:
Thursday 23rd February 2012
Meet 6:00 pm for 6:30 start
Old Windmill pub
Spon Street
Coventry
CVl 3BA
Light refreshments will be served
Guest speaker: Deputy General Secretary Barry Fitzpatrick on the Challenges facing the NUJ. Barry particularly wants to address issues surrounding how to campaign more effectively on employment rights and the direct link that has with trade union rights. He's also concerned about the general malaise which has overtaken many younger journalists who cannot see their way forward in the industry.
There will be an election of officers to serve the branch for the coming year, absolutely no experience necessary as full support will be given to first timers. You may nominate yourself for any of the posts ( they will automatically be seconded) but you will have to attend the AGM to be elected. If you want to nominate yourself or someone else reply to this Email.
Nominations are invited for the post of: Chair, Vice-chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Minute secretary, Recruitment, Equalities, Disabilities, Welfare, and communication officers and any other positions the branch deem necessary. Job/post descriptions at end of message. Two of the posts Secretary and Communications officer attract modest honorariums of £600 per post.
The outgoing branch officers, encourage members to think about how they can contribute to the branch over the next twelve months.
'Crisis in Midlands Journalism' see attached uncorrected minutes of January branch meeting, in particular item 12.
Standing up for what we believe in...
In the last decade there has probably never been a more vital time to come out and stand up for journalists and journalism. The 'Crisis in Midlands Journalism' alone is enough to make the blood run cold. Thousands of our members have lost their jobs while hundreds of council meetings and courts are left un-scrutinised for news and important information that members of the general public simply will not get from anywhere else.
In Birmingham and Coventry there are moves to highlight our plight in new, more easily accessible ways. This is something we need to do because there is little doubt many younger journalists simply do not see the point of regular branch meetings.
But please see the point of this one.
It is, after all, our annual meeting with the national Deputy General Secretary travelling from London to speak to us. It would be great if more than the usual crowd could give him the courtesy of a warm welcome.
Who knows, some might even be galvanized into seeing the point of the occasional meeting.
Certainly we need to vote in, or out, our regional voluntary officials. If you don't like the way things are done at the moment then now's your chance to speak up and change things.
Barbara Goulden
Branch chairwoman
Job descriptions
Chairperson: To chair branch meetings/public meetings, liaise with NUJ General Secretary/Deputy General Secretary and full timers to keep the branch informed of any and all matters relating to NUJ activities.
Vice Chairperson: In the absence of the chair, carry out the same duties.
Branch Secretary
. dealing with correspondence
. liaising with branch chair or member delegated on agenda items
. liaising with communications officer
. preparing monthly reports regarding up-dates and correspondence for Branch meeting
. liaising with communications officer
. preparing monthly reports regarding up-dates and correspondence for Branch meeting
. attending all Branch meetings
(This post attracts an honorarium of £600 a year)
Branch Treasurer
. day to day running of branch finances
. preparing up-dated accounts for monthly Branch Report
. checking accuracy and issuing payment for invoice and expense claims
. preparing up-dated accounts for monthly Branch Report
. checking accuracy and issuing payment for invoice and expense claims
. keeping an accurate record
. banking any monies received
. banking any monies received
. producing audited quarterly and annual accounts and ensuring such accounts are submitted to HO
Disabilities Officer: Disability means that some members are more likely to suffer poorer conditions of employment and lower pay than others, irrespective of their skills and abilities. Officer would be expected to deal with any queries from branch members on these matters and forward to full time officials, where necessary.
Minutes secretary: Take notes at meetings and write them up for distribution.
Communications Officer: Deals with all branch electronic communications and Email distribution, each month to send out calling notice and reminder for branch meeting; any other communications as decided by Chairperson or Branch Committee, to produce bi-monthly an Electronic Newsletter, to keep up to date branch Email list, currently 700 recipients, (you must check with your Internet provider that you can send bulk Email).
(This post attracts an honorarium of £600 a year)
Welfare Officer: A willingness to assist branch members who may have fallen on hard times for a variety of reasons eg long-term sickness, injury or anxiety or stress over a workplace or domestic situation or having fallen into a poor financial situation. It could also mean providing support over bereavement either for a member or their dependants. The welfare officer might also need to liaise with the central union to obtain advice on equalities and legal assistance and its charity, NUJ Extra, as a potential source of funding.
Equalities Officer: NUJ is implacably opposed to discrimination and prejudice, not least because it divides rather than unites. Because of this, members are expected to seek to combat discrimination and bullying in the workplace. Officer will provide help/advice to work place chapels or work places without chapels.
Recruitment Officer: To liaise with workplace chapels to have recruitment days, check with local based unions if media officer is a member of NUJ, if not already in an appropriate union, offer membership of NUJ, same with other work places
Any other post as required
