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June 3, 2004updated 17 May 2007 11:30am

IoJ bid to join international body falls through

By Press Gazette

The Institute of Journalists has failed again in its long-running attempt to join the International Federation of Journalists.

Delegates at the IFJ triennial congress in Athens last week voted against the admission of the IoJ.

The vote backed the recommendation of an IFJ appeals committee.

The Institute has sought IFJ membership since 1988 but has faced strong opposition from the NUJ.

IoJ representative Mary Tomlinson, who spoke at the congress, told Press Gazette the IoJ would appeal the decision.

She said: “We are very disappointed.

We were optimistic that we would be allowed to join the IFJ. We want the appeals committee to re-hear our case as we don’t feel it had the necessary documentation to make a proper judgement.”

The appeals committee recommended that the IoJ be turned down for membership on the grounds that it included employers in its membership, did not promote trades union principles and was not involved in collective bargaining.

Tomlinson had argued that the IoJ worked to defend the rights of all journalists, to help journalists in trouble and to promote the profession of journalism.

But also speaking at the congress, NUJ general secretary Jeremy Dear claimed: “The IoJ can demonstrate not one single show of support for any of the campaigns of recent years in any workplace to win better pay, shorter hours, protect pensions, win negotiating rights, safeguard codes of professional practice and so on.”

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