NUJ: FOCUS ON JOBS Mcintyre

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Technology was the key issue at the annual conference of the National Union of Journalists at Buxton this year. After years of neglect the union has woken upto the fact that the campaign by our employers and in their newspapers against "overmanning" in Fleet Street has been the softener for a nationwide attack on jobs.

The change to web offset printing has given newspaper groups the opportunity to install new computers and up to date equipment which erodes printing jobs.

But while the unions, NUJ included, have largely ignored the technological developments, this equipment has been installed with a latent capacity to destroy the industrial muscle of the print unions.

Direct lines on video sereens into computers mean not only that compositores and proof readers are threatened with loss of jobs but that the jobs that are left could be done during strikes by a scab force, as was done in the US at the Washington Post.

The overall effect would be to turn the whole production of newspapers into one assembly line in which no section played a vital role.

Faced with this challenge the NUJ leadership simply bowed the knee.

According to General Secretary Ken Morgan, the possible introduction up visual display units, whereby journalists would take over the jobs of redundant printers) would mean only that industrial power could move into the hands of NUJ members!

Leaving aside the unprincipled union leadership portrayed in this remark, it shows considerable stupidity since the job would be done by any one to hand if the NUJ should strike.

A motion from the Magazine branch calling for a one year bant on the introduction of further technology while a rank and file independent analysis was carried out was defeated.

In its place a motion from the right wing London Central branch carried the day by 199 votes to 113. This firmly committed the union to a policy of permitting redundancy.

Its wording, covering the whole of one side of the order paper, included such gems as "a positive approach which will maintain....the optimum number ofjobs".

Straight faced, it said, "ADM believes that the number of workers displaced through voluntary redundancy, voluntary eariy retirement on jull pension (note not full pay), and natural wastage should be kept to a minimum".

Following this lead, since the ADM, suited executives can already be seen visiting the offices of riew and super technology papers and marvelling at their economy of What has become known as the "Barnsley issue" provided the other main debate. Full support was promised to NUJ branches which, like Barnsley, launch a campaign against non-union journalists, in particular against the Institute ol Journalists (who have backed their claim to be a "trade union" by continuing to bring out the Daily Telegraph during the current dispute).

The Barnsley issue proves one thing. A small branch of totally non political trade wionists took a correct action through instinct.

Having made the choice they stuck to their guns despite a smear campaign from the whole of the national press.

The ovation given to the Barnsley delegates was an expression of the optimism that their determination has sparked in all but the most hardened and cynical right wing elements of the union.

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WAGE CUTT