Equality

Equality Council

The equality council is elected at Delegate Meeting, from nominations from NUJ branches, and includes representatives from the industrial councils and Irish, Welsh and Scottish executive councils. It is the NUJ's forum for all matters relating to: sexism, equal pay; LGBT+ rights; age discrimination; work/life balance and childcare/dependant care. The council’s remit includes campaigning for the rights and welfare of young and early career members aged 30 and under.

The council’s joint chairs are Natasha Hirst and Raj Ford. The vice-chair is Sara Lewis.

Natasha Hirst is the NUJ's former president and a freelance photojournalist based in Cardiff, specialising in equality, social justice and campaigns. Natasha is the current chair of Disability Arts Cymru and a longstanding disability and deaf rights activist. She works bilingually, using English and British Sign Language.  She is the NEC's disabled members' rep.

Raj Sangha Ford is a former NUJ secondee at the BBC.

The council’s work plan includes campaigns on pay transparency in job adverts, the pay gender gap, equal pay and starting salaries in the industry. We will continue to combat harassment and abuse online and otherwise, and raise awareness of violence against women. Our motion at the TUC’s LGBT+ conference backed the NUJ’s Ethics Council’s work on guidance for journalists and content creators to prevent misinformation and transphobia. We will be looking at the impact of AI on equality.

• We have an Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion network.  If you would like to join and receive news about our work and training, email: [email protected]
• We always play an active role at the TUC Women’s Conferences and TUC LGBT+ Workers' Conferences.
• We organise around key equality dates such as International Women’s Day, White Ribbon Day and International Transgender Day.
• We support and promote Pride events in the UK and Ireland.
• There is also the LBGT+ network, which holds online events to provide an opportunity for members to call on each other for advice, forge friendships and alliances and propose collective action. Remember to update your personal profile on the website (or email membership@nuj,org.uk) to receive invitations.

To get involved in the work of the council or to help campaign for equality, contact the NUJ's equality officer, via email: [email protected]

Equality Council members & contact 

To get involved in the work of the council or to help campaign for equality, contact the NUJ's equality officer, via email: [email protected].