Dear NUJ
Response to the union's quite extraordinary decision to back statutory underpinning without polling its members - who are to blame for not reading their emails and working for evil Rupert Murdoch!!!
Dear NUJ,
Apologies for blogging to you instead of joining the hoardes cancelling their memberships via the most ironic email address in the UK at the moment - namely [email protected]
You see I've been a journalist for more years than I care to remember, and my blood still boils when people in my own industry ignore that it is supposed to be about communication.
Yesterday I and others exchanged tweets with someone who sounded like he'd been named after a washing machine - Donnacha DeLong. I later learned via his own profile that he is an anarchist - quite appropriate for how you have destroyed your membership in the last 24 hours!
Our exchange was prompted by UK Press Gazette online poll in which the magazine was asking journalists if they agreed with the NUJ's decision to support state regulation of the industry (Yes really they did support it!).
According to Mr DeLong the poll was inaccurate - as such a small number of people were taking part.
He then went on to reveal that just 200 delegates had taken the decision to back statutory underpinning out of a NUJ membership of 4,000 - ie less than actually took part on the UKPG poll which overwhelmingly rejected it.
The following is based on real people and real characters in the real world:
RT @ColletteWalsh: really unwise move by the NUJ.... a big NO to any state regulation...
@tabloidtroll I'm furious, how dare they make such a decision without asking all members? #nuj
@tabloidtroll @xtinewallis That'll have you all running to reinstate your DD's ! :-)
@xtinewallis You were asked, numerous times. If you ignore the #NUJ Active email, that's your choice. @tabloidtroll- @tabloidtroll I'm honestly speechless, do any of the members who voted actually work in journalism? or were they just some bitter wanabees?
RT @xtinewallis: @tabloidtroll I'm furious, how dare they make such a decision without asking all members? #nuj- @donnachadelong @pressgazette More members voted in this poll than the NUJ one - union leadership too arrogant and dismissive to hold one.
- @donnachadelong @tabloidtroll Myself and the five colleagues I've just spoken to were certainly not aware of it!
- @tabloidtroll @donnachadelong ...and how many are actually working in journalism?
- @donnachadelong @xtinewallis Can you tweet one of the actual emails which went out please?
- @donnachadelong @xtinewallis So do enlighten us with the number of members who attended this meeting?
- @tabloidtroll Some members do not support it, yet those at our delegate meeting voted unanimously in favour. @xtinewallis
- So there we have it - 200 delegates, no doubt among their number the hard line journalism lecturers ranting at the Guardian for not supporting state regulation, deciding what is good for 4,000 members.
Indeed many seemed to be only finding out via Twitter - so much for the NUJ emails. - @mattdbell NUJ has announced that it is supporting state regulation - to predictable uproar.
- Still though Mr DeLong was unrepentant.
