Recruitment

The principal reasons for joining a union are to ensure: (1) job security; (2) improved working conditions; and (3) decent wages and benefits. These objectives should precipitate every journalist's membership application.

However, most people don't join because either: (1) they fear employer repercussions; or (2) they perceive the cost of membership to be too high compared with likely results.

We can overcome these objections by working with employers in partnership to allay fears that union participation will cost their companies more-the opposite is true. Existing members are our best tool in educating prospective members about the value of membership.

Strategy

Working in partnership with employers, to demonstrate to them that union participation will actually reduce their overall long term costs should be the primary goal of the NUJ.

The front-door approach is always best. Without employer support, workers are often reluctant to join for fear of retribution, and a group of disgruntled members should not be our goal.

In this regard, our focus must be on the employer, if we are to increase our membership. For more information, you might visit my Campaign website located at www.greglloydsmith.org.

Issues

ALL issues falling within the remit of Union objectives for the benefit of our members should be prioritised, and as Deputy General Secretary, working with the Secretary General, I would work to ensure that members' interests are protected and furthered within the responsibility of the Office I would hold.

How, the NUJ should prioritise campaign issues could be determined on a 'results v. resources' test. Anticipated results as compared to projected resources (both human and financial) crucial to achieve a desired objective should be balanced in order to achieve immediate and lasting results for members within budgetary constraints.

Role

Strictly speaking, the role of the Deputy Secretary General is to support the Secretary General in his duties, to substitute for him in his absence and to carry out such duties as might be assigned or delegated by the Secretary General.

But I believe that, in practice, members would benefit from a more proactive Deputy Secretary General; one who creates or proposes activities that will serve the greater good of the NUJ, such as working to reduce response time to members' questions or complaints or fine tuning a follow-up procedure to ensure that queries are dealt with to members' satisfaction.