Election special

More democracy than you can shake a stick at, plus free food and drink at this month's branch meeting on 17 April:

1. London Assembly hustings

Your chance to question four candidates for the London Assembly on their parties' policies

2. Report back from NUJ annual conference

Grill our branch's delegates to the union's conference, held 6-9 April

3. Election of branch officers

Who do you want to carry forward the branch's work over the next year?

Pay-up@dot.com

The expansion of the internet and the rash of dot.com companies is creating a shortage of skilled labour in publishing, particularly in magazines. And the shortage is pushing up wages. This is clearly the time to argue for that long-awaited, above-inflation wage rise to make up for years of low, or even sub-inflation pay awards.

Stories about reporters leaving magazines for dot.coms with packages worth three times their former earnings are circulating the sector. We know that some are hyped but some are not, so the Report would like to hear from any members with first-hand experience.

Equally, we want to hear from workplaces where this competitive pressure is having an effect on wages and conditions on the magazines themselves.

The branch has decided to conduct its pay survey annually, so questionnaires will be going out in the Report later this year.

In the meantime, we would encourage members to make hay while the sun shines and squeeze some extra cash out of our employers. Tell us about any successes.
Alan Gibson

Going aRovering

Ten branch members joined the 60,000-strong march to defend jobs at Rover in Birmingham on 1 April. One carworker who saw the banner was astonished that journalists had a union. Time to raise our profile, I think.
Gordon Jamieson

A union to swear by

Rumours that the NUJ once ran rampant over employers is nonsense. Recognition was good for everyone.

In the early 1990s, one woman called her union rep because she was about to be disciplined by her news editor for not being forceful enough when interviewing people. Her rep insisted on a women's assertiveness training course instead of disciplinary action.

When she came back and her news editor shouted at her, she told him to "fuck off". The training had worked for her. But it worked for the company too. She went on to become editor of the magazine, serving the company for seven more years. Without the union the company might have sacked her. What a waste that would have been.

She is now a successful freelance, working on the nationals.
Chris Wheal

Hope on death row

The branch's open letter for Mumia Abu Jamal - the black American journalist incarcerated on death row for the past 19 years - has already raised £60.50 toward the campaign for a retrial.

Mumia, who was framed for a murder he did not commit, was made an honourary member of the NUJ in 1995, at the height of an earlier campaign to stop his execution.
Alan Gibson