There are many reasons to join the NUJ - but these are some of the biggest.
- Collective voice
- Journalists' rights
- Gender pay gap
- Diversity matters
- A fair deal on pay
- Press freedom
- Flexible working
- Respect at work
- Ethical journalism
- Support and help
- Career opportunities
- Building networks
Collective voice
As a member of the NUJ, you are part of a 23,000-strong force championing the rights of media workers and defending press freedom.
Shape your industry and join our collective campaigns to address the deep, systemic issues facing journalism - such as equal pay, press freedom, the threats of AI, copyright protection, job protection, and funding for quality local and public interest journalism. Read our News Recovery Plan, which sets out bold measures needed to reinvigorate the industry.
A fair deal on pay
It pays to be in the NUJ. We negotiate on pay, freelance rates, pension terms, salary structures and paid holidays for our members.
We pursue companies over copyright infringements and non-payment of wages and fees. We win equal pay cases and backdated salary, pension contributions and pay rises.
In the past year – in deals that exclude collective pay awards – we secured more than £9m for our members; that's £25,000 every single day.
Ethical journalism
Democracy, whether at a local or international level, depends on a media that is trusted and properly resourced – and a union which fights for it.
Our code of conduct sets the benchmark for responsible reporting and ethical behaviour across the media and public relations, while our ethics hotline means members can seek advice if they are worried about a particular story or their day-to-day work.
Journalists' rights
The NUJ fights for journalists' rights and freedom of expression. We support reporters in protecting their sources, photographers from having their footage taken by the authorities and media workers from surveillance.
Our cross-party parliamentary group also gives us a voice on legislation that affects our members.
Press freedom
The NUJ lobbies for journalists' rights so you can have editorial independence and do your job safely and freely, without censorship from the state.
Our safety tracker enables freelance and staff journalists to confidentially report their experiences of harassment, abuse and legal threats.
As a member of the International Federation of Journalists, we are part of a 600,000-strong community working to ensure the safety of media workers across the globe, fighting for freedom of information, open government and plurality of the media.
Support and help
The NUJ is your lifeline if you get arrested or the authorities try to confiscate your data or images. We can also represent you during disciplinary or redundancy procedures and support you if you are being bullied or have other work-related problems.
And in times of hardship, our charity NUJ extra can be a source of support for you and your dependents.
Ending the gender pay gap
Analysis by Press Gazette shows that 79 per cent of UK media companies paid men more than women and 65 per cent gave men better bonuses - and it's a similar picture in Ireland. Opaque, unfair pay structures and unlawful sex discrimination are contributing factors.
We negotiate on transparent pay structures, progressive work-life balance policies, better maternity and paternity deals, and fair recruitment procedures.
Flexible working
Juggling a family and working can be tricky. Flexible working agreements are a vital tool in protecting part-time workers and women returning from maternity leave, boosting the retention of skilled staff and ensuring parents and carers can balance work demands with family life.
We negotiate progressive approaches to flexible working and lobby for improvements to employment law.
Career opportunities
The NUJ provides a range of professional training opportunities, masterclasses, workshops and online learning which can help you upgrade your journalistic or business skills or give you tips and guidance if, say, you move from a staff post to become a freelance.
We organise events for journalists and media workers to come together to share their knowledge and expertise. These can be by sector, such as the freelance forums and photographers' summits, or cross-sector on issues that unite all media workers.
Diversity matters
The media industry is one of the most socially exclusive. The NUJ fights to make the workplace socially inclusive and representative of the diverse society it serves, including by awarding grants to students through the George Viner Memorial Fund.
We protect the rights of our members and strive to ensure that media companies foster recruitment, promotion and retention of people from all backgrounds. We also have a proud record of challenging all forms of discrimination.
Respect at work
The NUJ challenges work cultures that lead to bullying and harassment. The union will represent you if you experience this behaviour and we use our collective voice to argue that media workers throughout the industry are treated with respect.
Building networks
Students and newcomers can benefit from meeting those with more experience in the industry, while members at any stage of their career can build contacts beyond their own workplaces by getting involved in their local NUJ branch and other parts of the union.
We have elected councils for our disabled, Black and 60+ members, as well as a dedicated network for our LGBTQ+ members.