London Photographers' Branch

 1/   Attendance –   26

2/   Apologies – Hubert Libiszewski, Jess Hurd, Jason Parkinson, Terry Scott, Sean Day, Tracy Howl & Heather Blockey

3/   Reports -  Review of 2014 Branch reports in the AGM agenda pack

4/    Branch Standing Orders -

To be added to the branch Standing Orders:

“In all voting in the Branch and for whatever reason, the chair should ask for an indicative vote from those who are not eligible to vote.”

VOTE:  Agreed

Indicative vote (IV [temporary & student members]):  Agreed

5/   Motion -

Our Working Lives videos are hosted on the branch Vimeo site and embedded from there onto our branch website. The free account does not allow files greater than 500MB to be uploaded. Therefore, in order to post Working lives videos, the branch agrees to upgrade its Vimeo account to Vimeo Plus, which costs around £40 per year.

VOTE: Agreed

IV:  Agreed

6/   2015 Branch elections -  The following were elected unopposed by full members.

IV indicated that they were also in favour.

Chair -  John Rogers

Vice chair -  Nina Tailor

Secretary -  Hubert Libiszewski

Secretary’s helper -  Franc David

Equality officer -  Heather Blockey

Treasurer -  Larry Herman

Welfare officer -  Matt Aslett

Union learning representative -  unfilled

Membership & recruitment officer -  Larry Herman

Working Lives project co-ordinator -  Larry Herman

And onto committee without portfolio:

Guy Smallman

Michael Preston

Tracy Howl

7/   A.O.B. -

a.   T shirts available

b.   Cuba report of international Commission of Inquiry into the Case of the Cuban

Five available

8/   Break (before convening the January Branch meeting)

During the “nibbles” break, a photograph by Jane Hobson was

auctioned, with permission, and the money will be deposited in Branch

account and used at our 2015 Branch Christmas party

 1/   Attendance -  29

2/   Apologies -  Hubert Libiszewski, Jess Hurd, Jason Parkinson, Terry Scott,

Sean Day,  Tracy Howl, Heather Blockey. Simon Chapman

3/   December Branch meeting -  Branch endorsed committee decision to cancel

the December meeting which fell during Christmas week.

4/    Minutes (from 25 November Branch meeting)

Agreed

5/   Matters arising  (from minutes of 25 November Branch meeting) -

None

6/   Membership -

No new Headland House notifications have been received. Several new members attended. The branch will get back to them with results of information from HH.

7/   A.O.B. -

a.  Working Group about police meetings to be convened to mandate who represents the Branch and what is discussed

b.  New Working Lives Project video interview with John Sturrock is now available on the branch website: http://londonphotographers.org/2015/01/working-lives-2-john-sturrock/

8/   Branch Discussion -

OUR INDUSTRY IN 2015

Introduced by: Stuart Freedman, David Hoffman and Antonio Olmos

I decided to take on the role as branch chairman of the LPB as a result of the declining factors in our industry, and wanted to understand photographers’ problems and work to improving as much as possible through the NUJ.

There has been a declining number of staff photographers on both regional and national publications. Lots of photographers have left the NUJ and the LPB branch for various reasons, but the reason that is of most concern was the offering of a training programme run by the NUJ to teach writers to use mobile devices for photography. Although this was not intended to undermine the professionalism of working press photographers, the actuality was that it did and we now see the likes of the Press Association and many regional news publishers making photographers redundant with journalists being asked to do their jobs.

This branch is committed to re-establishing the differentiation between press photographers and writers for the sake of professionalism on both sides, and will seek the commitment and support of the leadership in doing so.

There has been a massive increase in ‘Citizen journalism and photography’ the result being an increase in membership applications into the branch. While this may be good for the union and its finances, there is dubious proof on many applications for full membership. Also, with the issuing of UKPCA cards based on that membership there are resulting problems in the activity of untrained and inexperienced operators for the profession.

There needs to be an increase in training for photographers to fully understand the law concerning photography, your rights as a press photographer and limitations regarding privacy, legality, public interest and confrontational aspects when dealing with police; the rights and wrongs of what you can do and can’t do, and the professional way of confronting any wrong-doing by a police officer.

There have been problems in the past, I have no doubt in the future too, and every time we face an increase in problems with policing when doing our jobs it is right to pursue them collectively in a professional manner and try and orchestrate change in the way they deal with the media.

This branch is actively involved with meeting with Metropolitan police officers and its bureaus to improve relations and working conditions when dealing with photographers holding a UKPCA press card.

Branch meetings could be better attended, and it has been noted that some new applicants don’t even bother to attend when applying to join the branch. This has to be questioned, reasons understood and dealt with. The branch is for your use, education, social gathering and problem solving. If you don’t bother we can’t bother. If you want to make changes get involved.

The committee has survived another year but we need help and more people to involve themselves with the branch, and will be asking for people to step forward and help at the AGM.

John Rogers

Chairman LPB 2014/15

 From:  Larry Herman  (acting Branch secretary)

The definiing achievement of the London Photographers’ Branch (LPB), since our last Annual General Meeting (AGM) twelve months ago, is that we are viably functioning and the many previous tensions between people relegated to history. Operating on the basis of what was said  rather than who said it is evolving and becoming our norm. Relating to the Union as a whole, rather than through personal relationships, continues to evolve to become our norm.

As a consequence, new people have come forward and accepted responsibilities in the Branch. John Rogers has now been our chair for a year and Hubert Libiszewski, Nina Tailor and Heather Blockley have joined the committee with Franc David becoming an active Branch member again and is back on the committee.

Because of new people willing to take on responsibilites and to develop an overview of the myriad concerns of our diverse membership, we are now better able to develop ways of defending the interests of lens journalism than before and to better deal with the conditions we face when working anywhere in the world.

Sometimes, we become tethered to conservative ideas that only reflect the coarse and brutal world we all inhabit. Among the many assets of our members is our extraordinary diversity of history and experiences. Our priority must be to intensify collective leadership and to bring that collectivity into the Branch as a whole.  Each of us struggles with the problem of allowing what we advocate to change us; to change us not in style but in essence!

The Branch has sustained our very popular monthly Branch discussions, led by invited speakers representing special insights into significant problems our members deal with from day to day. I want to specifically thank Guy Smallman for organising these discussions and maintaining what continues to be a big part of Branch life.

The heavy problem of time directly affects the overwhelming majority of our Branch members; only a few of our entire membership is staff. If we had staff jobs then, a lot of the Union work we do would be in company time. As self – employed, everything we do contributes to making us a living or hinders us in that. While that’s certainly true, the problem of doing Union work comes from the situation that too few people are doing too much. I’m acting secretary, membership secretary, vice chair and Branch treasurer. That is ridiculous and unsustainable and must end at our January AGM!

In many ways, the Branch has certainly suffered from not having a permanently elected secretary. Despite Philip Wolmuth’s good work in looking after the Branch’s sites, minutes weren’t always given to him and consequently, various meeting minutes didn’t get put up. I apologise for this and it should be rectified when a permanent secretary is elected.

Perhaps the finest monthly Branch meeting since the LPB was founded, was last May. More than thirty – five Union members from our Branch, the London Freelance Branch, NUJ national officers and from the National Executive Committee of the NUJ met to discuss Union sponsored training courses for writers using new lens technology.

After vigorous debate, it was agreed to organise a podcast with the NUJ general secretary, Michelle Stanistreet, the LPB chair, John Rogers and the chair of the NUJ Photography Council, Andrew Wiard. It was intended that these three Union leaders sit together and discuss problems facing lens journalism and what to do about them.

The Branch is attempting to continue developing strategies to deal with the greatest loss of media jobs since the conversion from hot metal to computers. This podcast would be part of the process but has still not been organised. Having it in our arsenal would strengthen the whole Union and should be made without further hesitation.

The Branch has been very active around copyright theft and the frequent ascribing what we produce as “orphaned”. The Branch started 2014 protesting against the British Library’s proposal to digitise its collection of Spare Rib without compensation. Copyright infringements remain unresolved and management consistently steals the work we produce. The Branch continues to work for the abolition of all contracts that force us to give away copyright. We want contracts that safeguard and extend the creator’s intellectual property rights.

Throughout the world, thousands of writers, cartoonists, photographers / videographers, the drivers we use and our interpreters and translators have been specifically assassinated and imprisoned. We know that in many ways our task in the LPB is to bring the world into the heart of our Branch work. We take what’s happening out there and apply it to the conditions on our doorstep.

At our April Branch meeting, Jim Boumelha, the president of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) introduced the Branch discussion on the world – wide violence against media workers & defending our right to work; whether in Ireland, Egypt, Mexico, Turkey, Afghanistan or in the more than forty countries where media workers continue to be assassinated or imprisoned for the work we do.

Consequently, it’s was easy for the Branch, as a whole, to defend those fighting to protect their work. Extreme pressure was forced upon some journalists and organisations to release unpublished material to the police, in the UK,  so that images could be used as evidence against those charged with some specific crime. Jason Parkinson was in the forefront of protecting private property and was defended by the NUJ. He, too, stood for all of us.

The Branch supports, without reservation, those NUJ and LPB members who are now demanding that secret files kept by the Police on working journalists be expunged. The Branch understands very well that once again, it’s the few who are fighting for us all. The LPB will continue placing solidarity at the top of our work and the Branch unreservedly supports the “NUJ 6” who are fighting against the police keeping files on us.

As part of the process of answering the question of who speaks for us, the Branch agreed to organise the Working Lives Project well over a year ago. So far we’ve made videos with Anne – Marie Sanderson and John Sturrock. Both give insight into their working lives and are powerful testimony that no one can better speak for us better than we ourselves. I want to thank Philip Wolmuth for working on the videos. Now, two more photographers have agreed to be part of the project: Peter Marshall and Pierre Alozie and these videos will soon be made.

Led by the people directly involved and supported by the Branch, we are now developing ways of defending our right to work. The Branch is in the midst of organising meetings with the Met to discuss various police tactics restricting our ability to work and not recognising the press identification we carry. We want to insure that every constable sees our video during their training. Working with the NUJ national freelance organiser, John Toner, we have organised a meeting with the Met on 20 February with our Branch chair, John Rogers and John Toner representing our interests. The Branch was successfully active during the lead up to the Olympics and now, we must insure that the developing volatile confrontations with the police are ameliorated. We continue seeking ways to defend our interests as working journalists.

Trade unionists must refuse to supply or handle racist material. We must refuse to supply or handle sexist material. The many women, non caucasian, disabled, Lesbians and Gay men -  in fact, anyone who is perceived as being “not one of us” is often bullied. Bullying is rife and the LPB is implacably opposed to it. The Branch must insure the our Branch equality officer becomes one of the more important responsibilities in the Branch and is supported by the entire Branch membership.

So, here we are again at the start of a new year with several new leaders, of the Branch’s work, stepping forward. We should all feel a strong sense of optimism that greater unity will be forged through collectively agreeing and then, working on Branch “projects” and that the LPB will go on to better represent all the interests of our membership.

End

 1/   Attendance:  John Rogers, Hubert Libiszewski, Nina Tailor, Michael Preston,

Larry Herman;  Tom Tailor (seated & agreed)

2/   Apologies: Franc David (personal), Guy Smallman (work), Tracy Howl (personal),

Matthew Aslett (personal), Heather Blockey (work)

3/   Absent:  None

4/    Minutes (from 02 Dec. comm. mtg.): Agreed

5/    Matters arising (from 02 Dec. comm. mtg. minutes):

a.  cancelled December Branch (30 / 12) meeting

b.  paper plants for Diedre / bottles of beer for Paul

c.  Working Lives Project Pierre Alozie has agreed to be filmed after P. Marshall; Hubert to contact them

6/    Meeting with the Met

Agreed that:

a/  Met not to set terms for meeting

b/  must be on LPB / NUJ terms

c/  not to include BPPA

d/  John (chair) / Nina (committee member) to represent LPB

e/  perhaps Andrew W. (chair of Photography Council)

f/  Hubert to draft letter in response to John Toner’s

g/  not to meet with Met unless our conditions for meeting agreed by them

h/  to set up a meeting with John Toner and LPB frontline members to discuss what’s been happening this year

i/  to establish a working group at this meeting

j/  every Met member to be shown our video

7/    Planning the January 27th Branch meeting and AGM

Branch meeting -  According to Branch Standing Orders, Branch meeting should be first  then move directly into the AGM without a break. John to chair both and step aside for the election of chair during AGM.

AGM -

a/  Larry to put to AGM changes to Branch Standing Orders (SO)

b/  the few proposed changes are only ” tidying up” the SO’s

c/  except: (new clause 18 – “In all voting in the Branch and for whatever reason, the chair should ask for an indicative vote from those who are not eligible to vote”)

d/  election of:

chair

vice-chair

secretary to keep the records and convene meetings.

equality officer (promotes equality issues and provide a focus for questions and complaints arising from the code of conduct)

treasurer (responsible for the funds in the care of the branch and for keeping accounts).  No treasurer shall be aged of 18.

welfare officer (cares for the interests of sick members and their spouses and liaise with the NUJ Extra.

Union learning representative

membership and recruitment/retention officer

Working Lives Project Co – ordinator

8/  A.O.B. –   a.  Not to have the film: “Still the Enemy Within” as a future Branch discussion, but to promote the video – agreed

END

VOTE:   in favour -  7, against  -  7

1/    Attendance:  Franc David, Hubert Libiszewski, Michael Preston, Larry Herman;

Nina Taylor, Tom Taylor, Heather Blockey & Barnaby Nerberka -  all seated

2/   Apologies:  John Rogers (personal), Guy Smallman (work), Matt Aslett (work), Tracy Howl

3/   Branch members as listed above, seated

4/   Minutes of 07 October committee meeting:  Accepted

5/   Matters arising from 07 October committee meeting:   None

6/   Evaluation of 28 October Branch meeting:

a.  Strong attendance and good discussion

b.  Agreed to re – jig future Branch agendas so that the business part is dealt with before the break and discussion

7/   Next Branch meeting discussion:

a.  agreed that the subject will be the abuse RIPA powers and police spying

b.  Guy Smallman and a lawyer will introduce

8/   Resignation:   Terry Scott has resigned as Branch membership secretary and from the Branch committee

9/   Minutes:   It’s in hand that all Branch minutes be put on Branch sites and that all missing minutes from the past year are also put on our sites

10/   Slide show:   As previously decided, all Branch members are invited to supply, as soon as possible 2 – 3 images to show at the joint London Freelance Branch / London Photographers’ Branch Christmas party.  Please send to: Matt at: [email protected] who is coordinating the show.

11/   Police intimidation of journalists:

a.  Seated Branch members reported on the police intimidation in Parliament square and that there is a video of police activity

b.  Will show video of situation there at a future Branch meeting

c.  Nina, Heather and Barnaby will draft a motion within the next few days

d.  This draft will then be circulated to committee members for contributions

e.  Motion will ask for involvement of NUJ national officers, along with the LPB and the Metropolitan Police, at an open meeting of NUJ members

12/   A.O.B:   Reported that Branch is liaising with the Bristol Branch regarding the last NEC rejection of the LPB letter regarding defending the independence of The Journalist editor.

END

1. Attendance:  27

2. Apologies:   Guy Smallman,  Philip Wolmuth, Terry Scott, Simon Bennett, Sheila Menon,Yannis Mendez

3. Discussion:  “Surviving in a Falling Market” led off by Matt Aslett

4. Break

5. Minutes (30 Sept. Branch meeting) -  Accepted

6. Matters arising (from (30 Sept. Branch meeting) -  None

7. New Members:     Student -  27, Temporary -  3, Full -  4;  34 elected into membership

8. Working Lives Project:

Agreed that Peter Marshall be the next person to be subject of third video in the project.  Hubert Libiszewski to work with Peter on video

9. Christmas: As previously agreed, the LPB will be going to two Christmas parties this year and all Branch members to be invited

1/ With the London Central Branch -  Thursday, 11 Dec. – 6.30 pm,  Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, 145 Fleet Street EC4A 2BU

2/  With the London Freelance Branch -  Monday, 08 Dec. -  7 pm, Headland House (5th floor), 308/312 Gray’s Inn Rd WC1X 8DP

3/  Branch agreed to organise slide show for the joint LPB/LFB party- send just a few images to Matt Aslett  at [email protected] as soon as possible

10. Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom  (CPBF):

MOTION:  The LPB agrees to send, as its delegate, Franc David, to the CPBF National Committee.

proposed by:  Larry Herman, seconded by: John Rogers

VOTE:  unanimous

11. Motions

1/   The LPB agrees to appoint Franc David to help with secretary’s work in the Branch

VOTE:  unanimous

2/   The LPB agrees to co – opt Franc David onto the Branch committee

proposed by:  Larry Herman, seconded by:  John Rogers

VOTE:  agreed with no votes against / 1 abstention

12. Police interference at work:

1/   report and discussion regarding police interfering with working journalists in Parliament Square

2/   agreed to invite Nina Taylor to next Branch committee meeting to further discuss issues and what action the Branch should take

13. The Journalist:  Reported to Branch that committee discussed the current election and that no recommendation would be made to Branch as to how to vote for editor

14. A.O.B.:

1/   Branch agreed to re – jig future Branch meeting agendas so that the Branch business part comes before the discussion

2/   circulated information about the film: “Still the Enemy Within”

3/   report regarding the Cuban Five

End

 1.   ATTENDANCE –   27

2.   APOLOGIES -  Andrew Wiard, Terry Scott, Luca Neva, David Hoffman, Philip Wolmuth

3.   DISCUSSION -  Capture to Consumer (optimising digital workflow with

social media)  Introduced by Matt Aslett

4.   BREAK

5.   MINUTES (29 July Branch meeting)

6.   MATTERS ARISING (from minutes of 29 July Branch meeting)

None

7.  MEMBERSHIP -

Full:  Jonathan tait, Moosa Mohamad, Alicja Dobruck, Lewis Ronald, Michael Cole

ELECTED

Temporary –   Steve Parkins, Gabriel Lesmoir-Gordon, Paul Marshall, Samuel Ivin, Iker Aldama, Peter Hogan, David Rowe, Franc David

ELECTED

Student –   Mohammed Alkhereiji, Ruby Sanford-Smith, Luke Dune, Kathrine Petran, Phillipa Wielgos, Andrew Scofield, Alena Vasilyeva

ELECTED

8.   POLICE HARASSMENT

A branch member explained how she was visited by the police at her home and considered it to be harassment. They had tried to gain entry to her premises which she had refused and asked questions about her work covering a fracking protest outside of London. Guy reminded members of their rights and how police require a warrant to enter private property and a production order to look at journalistic material. It was decided that the member would ask the freelance office to contact the officers in question to ask the purpose of their actions and remind them of the law regarding accredited journalists.

9.   NEC REPORT -

It was reported that the NEC has refused without explanation to implement an ADM motion to support the independence of the Journalist magazine editor. Branch to write to NEC & GS asking for clarity and explanation.

10.   BRANCH WEB SITE -

It was agreed by the branch that a decision by the committee to add new ‘Page of shame’ to the branch website. This would    highlight terrible media howlers seen as a result of cuts to picture desks and commissions to professional photographers. Also  anew page celebrating images by our members this was agreed at motion passed last year. An appeal was also made to  members for more stories and features for the branch site.

11. BRANCH SECRETARY -

Still vacant

12.  MOTIONS -

(1) The London Photographers’ Branch agrees to renew its affiliation to the Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom and to pay the CPBF  £25 for its annual membership fee. In addition, the LPB also agrees to send the CPBF £100 as a contribution  to its running costs.

Proposed by Larry Herman

Seconded by John Rogers.

Passed unanimously.

(2) The London Photographers’ Branch agrees to participate in and to share proportional costs with the London Freelance   Branch, at a Christmas party.

amendment  1: Larry to find out costs and report to next committee meeting

amendment   2:  LPB also to take part in the London Central Branch christmas party and will report to next committee meeting the costs

Proposed by Larry Herman

Seconded by John Rogers

Passed with 20 in favour, 1 against

13.  REPORTS -

1/  Treasurer: £804.00 in account

2/  Recruitment: Hubert has compiled list of Universities to target and has received a positive response from those he has been in touch     with.

3/  Working lives project –   Larry has corresponded with Philip Wolmuth who has now filmed John Sturrock. The film is expected to be ready in November. Contacting libraries to find permanent home for project.

4/  Larry reported his copyright victory over a film maker who used his images without permission.

5/  Tracy reported her image being lifted and used as fraud.

14.    AOB -

1/   Announcement about world homeless day.

2/  Announcement about EU vs TTIPOct 11th.

3/  Oct 6th demo against Oz genocide.

END

The meeting was inquorate, therefore only recommendations were decided and previous Branch minutes were not taken or agreed for accuracy

1. Attendance:  Nine

2. Apologies:  Guy Smallman, Philip Wolmuth

3. Discussion:  Who Speaks for Photographers in the NUJ?  Introduced by John Rogers

1/   Motion:

This branch deplores the course being run and advertised by the NUJ on its website,

‘Press & editorial photography with basic cameras’, Sept 2014, and seeks its immediate

withdrawal. Furthermore we expect no more courses of this type in the future.

We also call for all future photographic training to be arranged in consultation with the 

Photographer’s Representative(s) of the NEC, The Photographers’ Council, and also this 

branch (London Photographers Branch). 

PROPOSER:  Andrew Wiard

SECONDER:  Michael Preston

INDICATIVE VOTE:  Agreed unam

2/   Reported that talks with LFB will continue to explore possibilities of working closer

3/   Agreed to make a podcast of a discussion with:

Michelle Stanistreet (GS), Andrew Wiard (chair, Photography Council) and John Rogers (chair, LPB)

4. Membership:

Meeting will recommend that Zac Chaudhri be made a member

5. Committee:

Recommended that Hubert Libiszewski be co – opted onto committee

6. Election:

No one standing for secretary. Will advertise again on Branch site

7. Working Lives Project (WLP):

1/   John Rogers will contact JS and will work with Philip and others on the video

2/   Zac Chaudhri will organise third video in WLP series about student photographers (aspirations, etc.)

3/   Agreed that the WLP could and should be done by volunteers and paying for it to be organised, was rejected.

8. Treasury:

£1118.23 in account

9. A.O B.  None

E N D (8.30 pm)