LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – 16.02.09. Photographers stage a mass photo taking event outside New Scotland Yard on Monday 16 February 2009 in London, England. The event, called by the National Union of Journalists, marked the enforcement date of section 76 of the Counter Terrorism Act 2008 which could prevent the media and public from taking pictures of the police . (Photo by Marc Vallée/marcvallee.co.uk) (c) Marc Vallée, 2009.

“Photographers unite to tackle avalanche” – National Union of Journalists.

Today I transferred my NUJ membership over to the new London Photographers’ Branch (LPB) and I’m looking forward to the inaugural meeting in just under two weeks time. If you are an NUJ member – full, temporary or student – and a photographer or lens based journalists “who lives in London or who carries out the majority of their work for clients based in London” then this is the NUJ Branch for you.

Below is a media release from the NUJ HQ about the new branch and how to join.

NUJ Media Release: Photographers unite to tackle avalanche

You don’t have to go to the Alps to experience an avalanche, photographers in every sector of the media have experienced an avalanche of jobs cuts, picture rate cuts, pay freezes and unprecedented workloads.

Media companies blame the recession and an inability to find a way to monetise content online – but they have been whittling away jobs, picture rates and conditions for years.

Photographers in London are coming together to form a new NUJ branch for freelance, staff and agency photographers to unite and defend photographers’ rights and terms and conditions.

The London Photographers’ Branch will hold its inaugural meeting on Tuesday, January 26th, at 6pm in the union’s head office, Headland House.

Membership of the Branch is open to any NUJ photographer who lives in London or who carries out the majority of their work for clients based in London.

To transfer your membership to the new Branch, you should contact the NUJ Membership Department at paulg@nuj.org.uk before January 26th.

NUJ President Pete Murray said: “This new branch is a really exciting development bringing together those who have for many years campaigned hard for the rights of photographers. The launch of the branch will boost the effectiveness of such work and give it the profile it deserves in the industry and in the union”.

Permanent link.

Here is a slideshow of pictures from the Youth Fight for Jobs protest yesterday.

“Young protesters march for jobs” – BBC News.

“Youth Fight for Jobs” – youthfightforjobs.com

Link : Click here to view more images.

Clients : Images are available for rights managed editorial licensing. High resolution images are available on request.

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – 28.11.09. Unemployed people, students, union activists and socialist campaigners – from across the UK – congregate in central London to demonstrate and demand jobs as the rate of youth unemployment stands at a record high on Saturday 28 November 2009 in London, England. Unemployment in the UK totalled 2.46 million in the three months to September. Youth unemployment – measuring the number of 16 to 24-year-olds out of work – rose by 15,000 to 943,000. (Photo by Marc Vallée/marcvallee.co.uk) (c) Marc Vallée, 2009.

NEWPORT, ISLE OF WIGHT – 29.07.09. Vestas workers, family members and supporters march from the Vestas wind turbine factory to the local County Court on Wednesday 29 July 2009 in Newport, Isle of Wight. Vestas workers represented by RMT lawyers argued successfully that a possession order had been incorrectly served and that Vestas could not be granted an eviction order – the judge adjourned the case to Tuesday 4th August 2009. Vestas workers have been occupying the factory after management revealed plans to cut 600 jobs and close the factory. (Photo by Marc Vallée/marcvallee.co.uk) (c) Marc Vallée, 2009.

Link : Click here to view more images.
Link : Click here to view more images.
Link : Click here to view more images.

Clients : Images are available for rights managed editorial licensing. High resolution images are available on request.

NEWPORT, ISLE OF WIGHT – 24.07.09. General view – at night – of the Vestas wind turbine factory occupation on Friday 24 July 2009 in Newport, Isle of Wight. Vestas workers have been occupying the factory for the last four days after management revealed plans to cut 600 jobs at the end of July. (Photo by Marc Vallée/marcvallee.co.uk) (c) Marc Vallée, 2009.

Link : Click here to view more images.

Clients : Images are available for rights managed editorial licensing. High resolution images are available on request.

NEWPORT, ISLE OF WIGHT – 24.07.09. Vestas workers, family members and supporters march from St Thomas’s Square to the Vestas wind turbine factory on Friday 24 July 2009 in Newport, Isle of Wight. Vestas workers have been occupying the factory for the last four days after management revealed plans to cut 600 jobs at the end of July. (Photo by Marc Vallée/marcvallee.co.uk) (c) Marc Vallée, 2009.

Link : Click here to view more images.

Clients : Images are available for rights managed editorial licensing. High resolution images are available on request.

NEWPORT, ISLE OF WIGHT – 24.07.09. The occupation of the Vestas wind turbine factory on the Isle of Wight enters day four on Friday 24 July 2009 in Newport, Isle of Wight. Vestas workers have been occupying the factory after management revealed plans to cut 600 jobs at the end of July. (Photo by Marc Vallée/marcvallee.co.uk) (c) Marc Vallée, 2009.

Link : Click here to view more images.

Clients : Images are available for rights managed editorial licensing. High resolution images are available on request.

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – 16.02.09. Photographers stage a mass photo taking event outside New Scotland Yard on Monday 16 February 2009 in London, England. The event, called by the National Union of Journalists, marked the enforcement date of section 76 of the Counter Terrorism Act 2008 which could prevent the media and public from taking pictures of the police . (Photo by Marc Vallée/marcvallee.co.uk) (c) Marc Vallée, 2009.

Photographers are under attack – job losses in local and national media, picture rate cuts and police repression on the streets. It’s time for photographers to come together and plan and build the best way to defend our profession. NUJ London photographers are meeting on Thursday 16 July 2009 at 6.30pm at Headland House (MAP) to start the process of setting up a NUJ London Photographers Branch. If you live or work in London – freelance, agency or staffer – and an NUJ member this is the meeting for you.

If you are a photographer and not yet an NUJ member – join us and be part of this new branch.

More info: NUJ Diary & Facebook Event.

Update (17.07.09): The meeting of NUJ photographers in London last night voted to set up a London Photographers Branch (LPB). A historic moment for the NUJ. There were 31 people at the meeting and the vote for a ‘nationwide’ branch was defeated by 19-7 with 4 abstentions. The vote for a London branch was carried by 26-1 with 1 abstention. The branch must now be approved by the National Executive Council (NEC) of the NUJ and the next LPB meeting will be in September to elect a interim committee.

It was agreed that the LPB will be open to NUJ members who “work as photographers or as other lens based journalists” and whose work is “carried out in London”. It was also agreed that the new branch will campaign against job cuts, rate cuts and restrictions on photography as well as campaign against attacks on media workers across the world.

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – 26.09.08. Teachers and supporters demonstrate outside the headquarters ARK an education charity on Friday 26 September 2008 London, England. ARK is an international children’s charity funded by a multi-billion pound hedge fund run by Arki Busson. Teachers and campaigners called for an end to the privatization of the UK education system via the government’s academy program. (Photo by Marc Vallée/marcvallee.co.uk) (c) Marc Vallée, 2008.

Clients : Click on the link below for rights managed editorial licensing. High resolution images are available on request.

Images: “Anti-Academy School Protest – 26.09.08″

Archive Link : www.archive.marcvallee.co.uk

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – 25.04.07: National Union of Journalists (NUJ) general secretary Jeremy Dear joins NUJ members at a vigil outside the Palestinian General Delegation office in west London for kidnapped BBC correspondent Alan Johnston. (Photo by Marc Vallée/marcvallee.co.uk) (c) Marc Vallée, 2007.

National Union of Journalists (NUJ) general secretary Jeremy Dear has set up a Blog, which I think is a great idea. It’s nice to know what the leader of my union is up to each day! I have made it on to the Blog twice so far, here and here, enjoy.

http://jeremydear.blogspot.com