Scottish Office Report May 2003

Correction - SMG email contacts

Membership rule changes

Welcome our boy back from Iraq

Guess who's listening to freelances

Union of Journalists

Warmest congratulations to Glasgow branch Chair, Rory MacLeod, and Treasurer, Susan Carden, who were married on Saturday.

The newlyweds will now be honeymooning in Prague.

The branch voted to send a present and the members' best wishes to the couple, in a special motion at the last meeting.

Workers at a US-based newspaper have asked for international trade union support in demanding their right to union recognition. Employees at the Chinese Daily News in California voted for representation by the Communication Workers of America in October 2000.

However, to date, the newspaper and the parent company, United Daily News, in Taiwan have refused to respect their decision.

The vote had been in response to the rescinding of a scheduled pay rise, which was followed by employees being coerced into signing statements accepting the company's right to instigate summary dismissals.

The CWA also contends that the Chinese Daily News had illegally employed a "union buster" consultant to attempt to persuade workers to reject union representation. They also accuse the consultant, Larry Wong of Labour Information Services Inc., of deception and intimidation.

Members can assist their colleagues at the paper by taking part in an email protest against the management at the paper and United Daily News.

To join the protest, please visit the following link:
http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/cdn_respect/

Colombia: union activists in danger

Understanding Islam pics

We now have some great photographs to accompany the reports on the Understanding Islam seminar.

Have a look at the photos by NUJ member, Gerry McCann, on the new dedicated Understanding Islam page.

PRs mark Independents' Day

The Institute of Public Relations Scotland is to host an event for independent PR practitioners, people who work in small consultancies or PRs interested in starting up on their own.

Independents' Day will be held on Saturday, 7th June at the Apex International Hotel, 31-35 Grassmarket, Edinburgh. The seminar will run from 9.30 a.m. until just after lunch, which will be included in the ticket price.

The cost is £25 for IPR members or £35 for non-members. Those attending can book and pay in advance or pay on the day of the event. Receipts can be provided but the organisers are unable to invoice for later payment.

There will be opportunities to network and to join the IPR at a discounted rate on the day.

Speakers will include:

Pamela Bailey - a former independent who has built up a thriving PR business in Glasgow

Vyvyan Kinross - founded the successful London agency, Kinross and
Render

Susan McLellan - a manager from the Small Business Gateway - Scotland's support service for small businesses

Sara Roberts - from Xchangeteam, which provides a range of opportunities for independent practitioners

For further information please contact Nicola Hopkin on 0141 332 9119, or Linda Bruce on 0131 556 6712. Email Linda at linda@prsquared.co.uk.

Meet Kate Adie in Edinburgh

Journalists may be interested to know that Kate Adie will be making a personal appearance in Edinburgh on 5th June.

She will be discussing her news reporting career and promoting her new book, "The Kindness of Strangers."

Tickets costing £5 are available from Waterstone's Edinburgh East End or from the Queen's Hall, Clerk Street, Edinburgh. Phone 0131 668 2019 to book.

European Social Forum invitation

Glasgow branch motion: April 2003

Motion to West of Scotland Freelance Branch passed at the April Glasgow Branch meeting:

This branch wishes to express its support for Glasgow branch member and Scottish Organiser Paul Holleran and to condemn the recent attack on him contained in the West of Scotland Freelance Branch April 2003 newsletter.

This branch also notes that the nature of the comments relating to the Scottish Organiser appear to contravene the NUJ’s Code of Conduct sections 1 and 3 and Working Practices sections 1, 2 and 12.

The branch therefore recommends that a complaint be forwarded to the SEC for full investigation.

The Branch also instructs the branch secretary to write to the secretary of the West of Scotland Freelance branch indicating the Glasgow branch position that the article contained in the aforementioned newsletter contains an unwarranted attack on an NUJ official and Glasgow branch member and demands that the next such newsletter either contain a retraction and apology or affords the Scottish Organiser a full right of reply.

Finally, the branch instructs the Glasgow branch secretary to communicate to the branch secretary of the West of Scotland Freelance Branch our insistence that its newsletter abide by the NUJ Code of Conduct and report both sides of the stories it covers.

Moved Jim Knox, seconded Ann Coltart.

Angela Austin, Glasgow Branch Secretary (0141 248 6648)
NUJ, 114 Union Street, Glasgow, G1 3QQ.

Mousemat - online newsletter

Israelis kill journalist on World Press Freedom Day

On the day when journalists worldwide commemorated colleagues killed for doing their jobs, a television cameraman was shot dead by Israeli troops.

James Miller died on Saturday after being shot in the neck by a bullet fired from an Israeli tank. He had been filming the demolition of a house in Rafah in the Gaza Strip.

Miller and reporter, Saira Shah, were shooting a film for the US Home Box Office channel when the shots were fired.

Reports indicate that he was clearly identifiable, wearing a bullet-proof vest and holding a white flag.

Miller and Shah were highly acclaimed for their Channel 4 documentary Beneath the Veil, which depicted the plight of women living under Taliban rule in Afghanistan.

Action! BBC fight begins

BBC journalists have voted in favour of industrial action in protest at the dismissal of two World Service journalists.

Adli Hawwari and Dr Abdul Hadi Jiad were dismissed without warning, recourse to formal procedures or representation after a high-level meeting in which Greg Dyke was personally involved.

The vote for limited industrial action was supported by 63 per cent of respondents. All-out strike action was narrowly rejected with 55 per cent voting against.

The first casualty will be Dyke's much vaunted Big Conversation in which he plans an online link-up with BBC staff members across the world.

Journalists will now be refusing to take part and chapels will be telling members to withdraw all goodwill and to refuse to participate in voluntary activities.

The NUJ has dubbed Dyke's project, the "Big Con."

Women in Journalism meeting

The next Women in Journalism meeting is on Wednesday 7th May.

The meeting will be held in The Babbity Bowster at 16 Blackfriars Street in Glasgow from 7.30pm.

More details are available from Jean Rafferty. Jean can be contacted on 0141 613 2669 or by email on jeanrafferty.fireopal@btopenworld.com.

NUJ voices in Holyrood

Congratulations to our branch members who were elected to the Scottish Parliament.

Scottish Socialist, Tommy Sheridan, was re-elected as a list MSP while Kenneth MacIntosh was returned as the Labour MSP for Eastwood.

The NUJ has a strong presence at Holyrood, including a considerable number of parliamentary researchers for various parties and public relations professionals for the Scottish Executive and the parliament itself.

World Press Freedom Day

Saturday, 3rd May marks World Press Freedom Day when journalists, trade unions and human rights organisations discuss press freedom around the world and how best to defend the media from coercion and attacks.

Equally important is the opportunity to commemorate journalists who have lost their lives in the pursuit of their profession.

The high number of journalistic casualties in the war in Iraq and the profound media freedom issues raised during the period of the conflict gives this year's World Press Freedom Day special poignancy.

Figures for 1992 to 2002 indicate that 374 of the 523 journalists killed during the period were murdered. 128 were killed for political expression, 67 were murdered for exposing corruption and 179 were killed in conflict areas despite having identified themselves as journalists.

The majority of crimes against journalists go unpunished and World Press Freedom Day 2003 will be dedicated to exposing and resisting Impunity.

"Where impunity rules, the death-knell of freedom, security and the rule of law is sounded."

Exiled writers directory

The Presswise Refugees, Asylum Seekers and Media project (RAM) is in the process of publishing a directory of exiled journalists.

The directory, which is now accepting entries, will allow journalists who have been forced to leave their native countries to market themselves to UK media employers.

Journalists wishing to be featured in the guide should submit a 500 word article detailing their journalistic careers and experiences of exile.

A photograph, details of languages spoken and areas of expertise are also requested.

Anyone interested in placing an entry can obtain more information by emailing ram@presswise.org.uk.

NUJ - reporting Islam better

The NUJ in Scotland has again been leading the way in helping journalists to widen their skills and knowledge.

Understanding Islam, which was held in Glasgow on Monday 28th April,
marked the first NUJ-sponsored seminar designed to help journalists gain an increased appreciation of the issues most relevant to the world's fastest- growing religion.

The venture was first proposed by Glasgow branch NUJ member, Elyas Hussain. Thanking the Glasgow branch for its financial contribution, he said: "At university, I wrote my dissertation on Islamophobia in the Scottish press. When I joined the NUJ, it was one of my challenges to promote the real Islam."

The event brought journalists together with leading Muslim scholars and
activists and among the speakers featured were Mohammed Sarwar MP, Farhia Thomas of the Muslim Women's Resource Centre in Glasgow, novelist, Sarah Baker, and Dr Abdul Hadi Jiad.

Mohammed Sarwar welcomed the number of Muslim candidates in the Scottish elections but criticised all the political parties for "failing ethnic minorities," arguing that too often Muslim candidates were confined to "contesting unwinnable seats."

But Mr Sarwar also said that Muslims should look to themselves: "We, as Muslims, are also to blame for failing to educate people about Islam."

A common theme amongst speakers was the feeling that the attacks on the twin towers had resulted in a backlash against Muslims. Walid Jubara said: "Even Muslims who have grown up in this society have felt that our religion and our way of life have been under attack since 9/11".

As one would expect, the questions from the floor were searching and it was clear that there were some issues, such as homosexuality, non-marital sexual relations, and the use of alcohol on which the libertarian code of the NUJ and the religious doctrine of Islam would never converge.

On these subjects NUJ members made it clear that they would not compromise on their right to protect diversity and promote equality.

But Farhia Thomas said: "Some questions are uncomfortable but it is better that we talk about them."

However, those attending also valued the opportunity to enter into free and informed discussion.

Angela Austin, who organised the event said: "I'm pleased that this pilot
seminar has started a process of dialogue between NUJ members and the Muslim community in Britain. However, this is just the start of an ongoing process that, hopefully, will spread across the UK and Ireland.

"The next step is to form a steering committee, which will invite input from
any and all Muslim groups.

"That will be good for journalists because they will be better able to
address Islamic issues with sensitivity and authority. And that, in turn,
can only benefit Muslim communities in Britain and beyond."

Muslim women abused by domestic media

Muslim women who are victims of domestic violence are afraid to seek help because of the reaction they expect from the media.

That was the shock warning from Farhia Thomas, a project co-ordinator for the Muslim Women's Resource Centre in the Govanhill area of Glasgow.

Ms Thomas was speaking at the NUJ-sponsored Understanding Islam seminar where she warned journalists: "Women are muzzled on the subject of domestic violence because we are afraid that Islam will then be stereotyped as allowing women to be beaten up."

In her community work, Ms Thomas says she tries to "enable women to become more involved in mainstream society and to overcome some of the barriers that prevent women from becoming involved."

And she echoed the sentiments of her fellow speaker, the novelist, Sarah Baker, who referred to "pretty scarf syndrome" in cautioning against failing to recognise Muslim women as individuals.

Ms Baker, who, like Farhia, converted to Islam, had said: "It's as if friends I meet didn't know me before. They don't talk about anything from before I became a Muslim."

Farhia added: "We are often seen as Asians rather than Muslims. Muslims can come from all over the world but the commonality between us is almost more important than anything else. But that's not to say that we're all the same."

Both Sarah and Farhia also commented on the fact that the media only seem interested in women who are converts - and white. Sarah argued that such women are "treated as exotic" and that "Muslims are still treated as a curiosity… as if we're here on sufferance."

And Farhia, a committed feminist campaigner before her conversion, expressed frustration that the same stereotypes continue to resurface. She revealed that she is often asked: "How can you, who have been active as a feminist, willingly submit yourself to being oppressed?"

"We're either oppressed or we've got Kalashnikovs under our coats."
But, she said:"There is no compulsion in religion - that's really important to understanding Islam.

"The reality is that some Muslim men and some so-called Muslim societies do oppress women in the name of Islam. But that's not what Islam is about," said Farhia.

"People use Islam to get what they want."

She pointed out that Islam states that, as with women, "men should lower their gaze" and she compared Islam favourably with Christianity in its attitude to women: "In Islam, Eve didn't tempt Adam - they fell together."

NUJ member was "first victim of war"

An NUJ member was sacked from the BBC World Service because of his nationality, it has been alleged.

That was the conclusion of Dr Abdul Hadi Jiad, who, with Palestinian colleague, Adli Hawwari, was dismissed without warning, hearing or representation

Speaking on The BBC Experience at the Understanding Islam seminar, Dr Jiad revealed that he had been the only Iraqi producer on BBC current affairs.

He then described how, on an otherwise normal working day, he was confronted by World Service Director, Mark Byford, and the BBC Head of Personnel, Stephen Dando.

With Byford sitting "three to four inches" in front of him in what Dr Jiad perceived as a being tactic designed to intimidate him, he told how the visibly shaking Director read a prepared statement telling him of his dismissal while refusing to allow Dr Jiad any right of representation.

Speculating on the significance of Mr Byford's family connections and friends, Abdul Hadi remarked that Byford is the son of a former police Chief Constable and a close personal friend of Defence Minister, Geoff Hoon.

He also noted that Byford had denied consulting the Foreign Office before his dismissal but admitted "informing them as a courtesy."

He said "Make no mistake - I do respect the BBC. It has excellent policies and guidelines. That's why I decided to fight - against those who abuse those policies and guidelines."

Recalling how, in the immediate aftermath of his dismissal, he consoled friends, some of whom were in tears, he said: "I told them, 'I'm glad that I fought for equal opportunities and fair treatment and I will continue to do so.'"

To another, he said: "The decision to go to war has been taken. I am the first victim of that war." His dismissal was on 19th February.

But he was philosophical about his experience and the lessons to be drawn: "We are prejudiced by nature - every human being is. But it becomes an illness when we convert prejudice into bias.

"What we can do is to get out of our shells and fight for our rights."