The NUJ has given the green light to a deal that will see improved standards for reporters at the Drogheda Independent, but freelance photographers say it is likely to lead to less work for professional photographers.

This move by an NUJ Emergency Committee of the National Executive Council states that there is no rule or policy blocking the deal. As said in our last report on this topic,
the recently updated NUJ Code of Conduct removes a previous clause which disallowed reporters to do the work of photographers.

Photographers have said that the IN&M owned Drogheda Independent
pays less then the NUJ’€™s recommended minimum rates and say they are
likely to lose work due to the deal as the newspaper gets reporters to
take photographs.

The NUJ however has welcomed a commitment from the newspaper to maintain professional photographers for ‘€˜core’ work.

In a statement issued last week
the union says, "€œAs part of this ongoing work, the Committee recommends
that the General Secretary commission a survey of current practices
across the industry. This Committee believes that such work will
further improve our ability to put the protection of photographers at
the heart of our bargaining strategy. Indeed, quality journalism and
photography are a vital part of the union-wide Stand Up for Journalism
events planned for November 5 later this year".

"Stand Up for Journalism - in Drogheda"

The Irish Photographers’ Website has its own ideas on the ‘Stand Up for Journalism‘ campaign, setting up a ‘€˜micro site’ titled ‘€˜Stand Up for Journalism - in Drogheda‘.

The micro site was set up just days after a member of the Irish site
started a discussion,€“ with the same title, on the NUJ’€™s official
campaign website. Soon afterwards, the whole discussion board section
of the site was closed and is now inaccessible.

Closure of the discussion section follows a similar pattern of the
closure of an NUJ email discussion list for photographers, ‘NUJPhoto’. It has since reappeared as an "unofficial Union Photographers e-mail discussion list".

The union’s statement on the Drogheda Independent notes, "Finally, this Committee condemns the abusive attacks and smears on the
union and its officials in relation to this issue"€. Although the
statement does not name the NUJPhoto group, epuk.org says that NUJPhoto moderators deny that attacks happened on the email discussion group.

Drogheda Independent agreement

The benefits of the agreement to reporters and the union include a
“closed-shop” arrangement where journalists must be NUJ members before
their contract is issued, increases in pay up to €6,000 per year,
pension benefits will be protected, an allowance for a 35-hour week,
enhanced maternity leave, and strong flexible working policy. The paper
will also fully recognise the union and its activities within the
newspaper company.