Calderdale NUJ

AGM

2009-07-03T10:30:00.000+01:00

The next meeting of the Calderdale NUJ branch will be held at the White Lion, Hebden Bridge, on Tuesday July 21 at 7.30pm. This will be the branch's AGM.
Once the formal business is finished, there will be the chance to have a drink and a chat before the summer holidays. Hope you will be able to attend.

Steve Morgan exhibition

2009-05-19T11:11:00.002+01:00

Branch member Steve Morgan writes:

I am having a preview of my latest exhibition of photographs forming part of the Big Green Weekend this Friday 22nd May 5.30pm to 8.00pm at the Alternative Technology Centre, Hebble End, (on the canal).

The exhibition entitled Local Production - Global Solution features images from South Africa and Ghana taken last year for Tabeisa, an educational charity which acts as a catalyst to stimulate economic development in Africa. Tabeisa assists with strategies to encourage black economic empowerment and does that by helping entrepreneurs from disadvantaged communities set up small businesses.

The other half of the exhibition features atmospheric portraits of local producers/suppliers most around the Hebden Bridge area featuring their own particular speciality.

February meeting

2009-01-27T17:20:00.000Z

The next meeting of the Calderdale NUJ will be held at the White Lion, Hebden Bridge, on Monday February 9th at 7.30pm. Hope to see you there.

September meeting

2008-09-08T10:36:00.001+01:00

The next meeting of the Calderdale branch of the NUJ will be on Thursday September 18th (please note the change of date from Sept 11th), at 7.30pm in the White Lion, Hebden Bridge. Do hope you'll be able to make it as it's a while since we all got together.
- Maggie Woods (joint sec)

July meeting

2008-07-07T07:03:00.000+01:00

A reminder that the next meeting of the Calderdale branch of the NUJ will be on Thursday July 10 at the White Lion, Hebden Bridge, at 7pm. All welcome.

Lunchtime meeting

2008-05-06T10:36:00.003+01:00

Wednesday 7 May - 1pm in the Plummet Line, Halifax
A joint meeting held by Calderdale branch and the NUJ chapel at the Halifax Courier, handily located just over the road from the Courier office.
We're happy to welcome Jenny Lennox, assistant Northern organiser for the NUJ, who will be answering questions about issues affecting our work and how the NUJ can help.
As it's a working lunchtime and time may be tight, we'll aim to get all of the business done within 45 minutes.

Branch meetings
We're putting our branch meetings on a more regular footing - the second Thursday of every other month. This should help everyone plan ahead.
Our next two meetings are on Thursday 10th July, and Thursday 11th September, both at the White Lion in Hebden Bridge. More details nearer the time.

Branch AGM

2008-02-22T10:26:00.000Z

The annual general meeting of the Calderdale NUJ branch will be held at the White Lion, Hebden Bridge, on Tuesday March 4 at 6.30pm. Please note the earlier time.

There will be an opportunity to re-elect officers so if anyone is interested in any of the posts please let us know. The agenda will be:
- Secretary's report on year
- Treasurer's report and financial accounts
- Election of officers: Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, Membership secretary, Treasurer
- Other posts (freelance coordinator, equality officer....)
- Delegates to external organisations, if any.

AGM business will be followed by a discussion of ADM resolutions with branch delegate Sue Press.

Hope to see you there. It is not expected that the meeting will last longer than an hour.

Maggie Woods
Andrew Bibby
Joint secretaries

February meeting

2008-02-01T16:17:00.000Z

The first branch meeting of 2008 will be held on Tuesday February 5th at 5pm in the Three Pigeons pub, South Parade, Halifax.
Please note the earlier time. We appreciate this may not suit everyone but we hope it will prove more convenient to members working at the Evening Courier and they will be especially welcome to join us.
Our meetings are informal and friendly (and not too long) and it would be good to see new faces there.

Freedom of Information meeting

2007-10-11T13:31:00.000+01:00

Calderdale NUJ is proud to announce a public meeting on using the Freedom of Information Act, to be held on Thursday 22 November (please note change of date):

HOW TO FIND OUT WHAT’S GOING ON

Public Meeting: Using the Freedom of Information Act

with Heather Brooke, (national journalist; author of Your Right to Know; expert on FOI Act)

Stubbing Wharf (upstairs room), Hebden Bridge
Thursday 22nd November, 7.30pm

One of an occasional series of public meetings organised by Calderdale National Union of Journalists. All welcome. No charge.

More information: 01422 844026

Two upcoming meetings

2007-09-07T15:53:00.000+01:00

Meet the Northern organiser
Thursday, September 13th: 7.30pm, White Lion, Hebden Bridge.
The NUJ's new full-time Northern organiser Chris Morley is coming to meet us. This is a chance to get to know Chris, who is based in the Manchester office, and who was last year's NUJ president.

Public Meeting
Finding out the Facts - How to use the Freedom of Information Act
Thursday November 1st: 7.30pm, upstairs meeting room, White Lion, Hebden Bridge.
We are delighted to have welcome author and journalist Heather Brooke to Calderdale. Heather has written the seminal book on the Freedom of Information Act, Your Right to Know. She also leads NUJ training courses on the Act, and has been pioneering in her use of FOI in her own journalism. Definitely a date not to miss - all welcome.

Freelance rates guide

2007-08-24T14:47:00.001+01:00

Calderdale NUJ's own Andrew Bibby has released the latest edition of his Freelance Ready Reckoner. This is an essential tool for any freelancer, as it breaks down typical staff salaries into equivalent daily rates, and provides recommended freelance daily rates that take your overheads into account.

As Andrew explains:
Many freelances fail to adequately appreciate when pricing their work that they are responsible for a range of costs which, were they working as an employee, would be covered by their employer. These include office equipment costs, premises costs, sick pay, pensions, holiday pay, insurance and various other costs. When pricing their services, it is useful for freelances to take into account what the comparable cost would be for employers if they used their own employees instead.

To download the Ready Reckoner as a handy PDF (56kb), click here.

August meeting

2007-08-17T09:58:00.000+01:00

Joint branch secretary Maggie Woods writes:

Just a reminder that the next meeting of the Calderdale branch of the NUJ will be at the White Lion pub in Hebden Bridge on Thursday August 23 at 7.30pm.

This will be an informal meeting, a chance to meet up over a beer or two and an opportunity to discuss plans for the autumn meetings. Hope you will be able to make it.

A date for your diaries - Chris Morley, the new NUJ Northern Organiser based in Manchester, will be our guest on September 13th at 7.30pm, again at the White Lion. It would be great to have a good attendance for this one.

For any information on branch activities please don't hesitate to get in touch.

Next meetings

2007-05-22T10:10:00.000+01:00

Our next meeting will be on Monday June 18th at the Three Pigeons pub, South Parade, Halifax at 6pm. Please note the earlier time - 6pm rather than the more usual 7.30pm. We hope this will prove to be a more convenient time for members (or interested members) living and working in Halifax. This will be an informal meeting and anyone interested in meeting up with fellow members or finding out about the NUJ over a pint or two is very welcome.

The next meeting will be on August 23 at the White Lion, Hebden Bridge, at 7.30 pm.

We'rere also working on ideas for autumn meetings, and should be able to give more details of these at the June meet. If there any issues you would like raised or if you have any suggestions for future meetings, please get in touch via the comments below, or via email.

April meeting

2007-04-17T09:46:00.000+01:00

A message from joint branch secretary Maggie Woods:

Dear colleague:

Just to inform you that the next meeting of the Calderdale branch of the NUJ will be on Tuesday April 24 at the White Lion pub, Hebden Bridge at 7.30pm. This will be an informal meeting and all members are welcome.

For your information we have already set the dates of the following two meetings. They are: Monday June 18 at the Three Pigeons pub in Halifax at 7.30pm and August 23 at the White Lion, Hebden Bridge, again at 7.30 pm. It would be great to see you at one (or all!) of our meetings.

Also for your your information, the office of branch secretary is now being shared. I am taking over correspondence matters and Andrew Bibby will continue to handle membership matters. For any information on branch activities please don't hesitate to get in touch with either of us.

Maggie

Upcoming meetings

2007-03-07T12:53:00.000Z

Dates for the next three meetings of Calderdale NUJ have been fixed as follows:

Tues 24 April, White Lion, Hebden Bridge

Mon 18 June, 3 Pigeons, Halifax

Thu 23 Aug, White Lion, Hebden Bridge.

All meetings start at 7.30pm. Full details nearer the time.

AGM this Tuesday

2007-03-05T15:46:00.000Z

Calderdale NUJ is holding it annual general meeting this Tuesday, March 6th, at 7.30pm in the White Lion hotel, Hebden Bridge (meet in the bar area).

The agenda for the formal part of the meeting will be:
1. Secretary's report - review of the year, branch membership
2. Treasurer's report
3. Report from chapel and from freelance officer
4. Election of officers (Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Vice-Chair, Chapel representative, Freelance representative)
5. Plans for 2007-8
6 AOB

There will also be the chance to discuss issues and matters which may be coming up at the NUJ's annual conference with the Calderdale branch delegate Susan Press.

Creative industry workshop, and Palestine meeting

2007-02-07T13:50:00.000Z

A couple of upcoming events of possible interest -

The regional development agency Yorkshire Forward is looking to consult with journalists, authors, photographers, etc, on 'the future growth of the Creative & Digital Industries' in Yorkshier. There's a 'breakfast workshop' in Bradford on Wednesday 7 March - register online here.

And this Friday, there's a public meeting with journalist Jonathan Cook, organised by Halifax Friends of Palestine, at the Hope Street Baptist Church Hall, Hebden Bridge. Details here.

January meeting

2007-01-15T10:25:00.000Z

The next meeting of our union branch will take place on Monday Jan 29th, at 8pm, in the bar area of the White Lion hotel, Hebden Bridge. All welcome!

Low pay in the media summit

2006-11-10T12:19:00.000Z

NUJ Pay In The Media Summit 2006 -

The NUJ's Manchester Pay in the Media Summit is fast approaching and spaces are filling fast.
The summit will be focusing on issues such as equal pay, benefits and conditions in the workplace, pay systems/pay structures and regional variations, as well as planning our union-wide pay campaigns for the coming year.
Speakers from all sectors have been included to allow a wider range of members to benefit from the discussion, training and feedback that the day will provide.
So come along and find out how pay in the media is affecting your workplace.

Saturday 25th November 2006:
Manchester: The Mechanics Centre, 103 Princess Street, Manchester, M1 6DD, 10am-1pm

Lunch will be provided at the end of the Summit. There are provisions for those needing childcare. Please let us know as soon as possible if childcare is required.

Register today by emailing: endlowpay@nuj.org.uk

John McDonnell in Halifax

2006-11-08T10:15:00.000Z

From branch chair Susan Press:

Labour leadership contender John McDonnell invites you to join the debate about the Party’s future.
• For public services. Against the continued privatisation and marketisation of our public services
• For alternative green power sources. Against the costs and risk of nuclear power.
• For a Government committed to peace, withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan, and nuclear disarmament.

Wednesday December 20, 7.30pm.Halifax Irish Centre, West Parade, Halifax
More information www.John4leader.org.
Local contact Susan Press ,Calder Valley CLP 07989 352406

Organised by members of Calder Valley and Halifax CLPs.

Branch meeting 14/11/06

2006-11-07T13:45:00.000Z

The next meeting of Calderdale NUJ branch takes place next Tuesday (14th) at 7.30pm at the White Lion hotel, Hebden Bridge. We will meet in one of the downstairs bar areas.

This meeting will discuss whether the branch wants to submit motions to next year's NUJ annual conference (the Annual Delegate Meeting, or ADM). Please contact Andrew Bibby if you would like to make a proposal for a motion.

NUJ news of interest

2006-10-27T10:23:00.000+01:00

Extracts from the NUJ Northern Soul newsletter:

A LOCAL SUMMIT FOR LOCAL PEOPLE…
This year’s Pay In The Media Summit has been split into four to try to provide more regionally focused debate about improving conditions in the industry.
In previous years the summits have provided an excellent opportunity for NUJ activists to share ideas and information and to build networks to support each other.
The summit for this region is on Saturday November 25 at The Mechanics Institute, 103 Princess Street, Manchester, M1 6DD, from 10am to 1pm.
Why not volunteer to represent your branch or chapel? Expenses will be organised and lunch is provided.
For more information or to register email endlowpay@nuj.org.uk.

JUST SAY NO…
Newsquest journalists in Bolton and Blackburn have won pay rises of up to £1,000 per annum by standing firm against shift changes which resulted from the move to morning publication.
They constantly rejected management demands to change hours until a deal was done. In Blackburn mass grievances were used, in Bolton the chapel balloted for industrial action and threatened to work to their own rotas.
This demonstrates the fact that when the bosses want us to do something we are in a position of strength.
This applies particularly at the moment to the introduction of things like video journalism for newspaper websites.
Just say no collectively on the grounds that it is a fundamental change to your contract. And then negotiate improved terms and/or more people to do it.
The companies will say it isn’t a change - but the results in Bolton and Blackburn show that when people stick together we can win. It’s up to you.

EDUCATION, EDUCATION, EDUCATION…
We are running a course for union members called Organise for Recruitment in Manchester on November 18 and 19. It is free we will organise accommodation where necessary and cover travel expenses.
If you would like to book a place on the course either email deirdreh@nuj.org.uk or phone Deirdre on 020 7843 3730.
See the course outline and other free trade union training courses at www.nujtraining.org.uk.

Regional organiser Miles Barter also notes:
I’m leaving my job with the NUJ on January 1.
Thanks to everyone for their support in the last five and a half years. We’ve increased union membership in the region, won a host of new collective agreements, and made a noticeable difference to rates of pay. Everyone has helped - just paying subs makes it all possible.
I’m exhausted so it’s time to pass the baton on to someone else.
The job has already been advertised internally - in line with our agreed procedure - and will be advertised externally if that is not successful. So hopefully there will be someone in place when I leave.

Best wishes to Miles, and thanks for the help in re-establishing Calderdale NUJ.

November meeting

2006-10-11T11:59:00.000+01:00

Our next branch meeting is scheduled for Tuesday 14 November, from 7.30pm in the White Lion, Hebden Bridge. More details nearer the time.

September meeting

2006-09-15T11:04:00.000+01:00

Dear colleague,

You're warmly invited to the next branch meeting of Calderdale NUJ, which will take place at 7pm on Monday September 25th at the Three Pigeons pub, Halifax (near Eureka and the Shay). There'll be a chance to talk to our full-time officer Miles Barter who is coming over from Manchester for the occasion.

The meeting will be focusing particularly on how the NUJ can help younger members as they develop their journalistic careers, so we're extending a particular welcome to everyone under 35. Whether you're planning a future in the regional press, in the nationals, in the magazine sector, in broadcasting, as a PR, or as a freelance, the NUJ is there to help. Don't forget the specialist training courses which are available to members, for example.

But of course we'll extend a warm welcome to you whatever your age! Come and spend an hour or so with other local journalists, and find out from Miles how to benefit to the full from your union membership.

And a PS. The NUJ will be 100 years old next year, and as part of the run up to the celebrations Leeds NUJ is organising a special party on Thursday October 19th at O'Neills bar, Great George St, Leeds from 7.30pm to midnight. Free buffet, cash bar. (This commemorates a meeting held in Leeds in 1906, which led to the founding of the NUJ a year later). Members of the NUJ in Calderdale are warmly invited to join our colleagues in Leeds. We're asked to book in, so buffet numbers can be sorted out. If you'd like to go, please either let me know or email Tony Harcup at Leeds branch direct at Tharcup@aol.com.

Andrew Bibby, branch secretary

September branch meeting

2006-08-09T10:05:00.000+01:00

Our next branch meeting will be on Monday 25 September, from 7pm in the Three Pigeons, Halifax. The meeting will focus on how the NUJ can help younger journalists build their careers. More details nearer the time.

We are also supporting a public meeting organised by Calderdale Trades Council on the theme of Saving Public Services. This is currently planned for mid-September - again, more details nearer the time.