NUJ puts back 'photographers organiser' vote for another year

The NUJ is becoming increasingly irrelevant to media workers and particularly photographers. If they’re not handing our subs over to obscure minority interest groups on the other side of the planet they’re arguing over meaningless minutiae that will never serve any practical use. As soon as the BPPA gets ‘gatekeeper’ status for its ID card. I’m jumping ship.

Know exactly wot u mean foxy and totaly in agreement with u mate!
The Union’s ADM seems to be obessed with passing motions defending the democratic rights of sum sort of weirdo sect (I fink they’s called journalists) in far flung places like Colombia, Iraq, Ethiopia, Palestine or Zimbabwe even Russia I hear

Anyways I too long for the day when the union concentrates on the primary function of being a decent Grocers Association and stops all this political malarkeying with things like bluddy media freedoms n’ campaigns ‘bout the killings and jailings of these journo weirdos

Mmm, not so sure that you are correct, about the Gowers submission. Yes, it could have been better – all things could, but the NUJ highlight many of the important issues we have to deal with, as did the AoP and also Redeye. Is it the unions’ fault that Gowers seems not to have read many of the excellently written submissions presented? Just out of interest what did you cover in your own submission that you think the NUJ omitted?

The NUJ is not leaving it there, it has its parliamentary Group who are being instructed as we speak on how to better represent photographers specifically, and the NUJ and individual photographers are also still on the consultation list, so all is not lost yet.

You are right that the union does need dragging into the 21st Century – it isn’t just a bunch of trots out for political do-gooding. The NUJ works seriously hard for photographers, and indeed it is the one area of the union that continually expands in membership year on year. The union is its members and there a lot of intelligent hard working members who contribute to the unions efforts to improve our industry and halt the decline.

I have always been prepared to knock the union for its many faults, but over the past three years specifically its photographer profile, and its activities on behalf of photographers, just gets better. Yes, it needs to improve even more. Yes, it is frustrating, but at the moment it is the most active and powerful lobby that we have, aided by the fact that it lobbies with other organisations, creating a stronger front for all photographers.

The more photographers who stay with the union, and the more who join, the better it will be at fighting on our behalf.

Kind regards

Pete Jenkins