The National Union of Journalists has agreed a deal with Al Jazeera, to conduct collective bargaining on behalf of trade union members working at the broadcaster.
Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ general secretary, said: “The NUJ will be negotiating on pay and conditions at Al Jazeera.”
She added that the partnership offers Al Jazeera journalists the opportunity to join campaigns on issues such as press freedom and the protection of sources as well as offering them guidance and support on professional and ethical matters.
Al Jazeera English, which launched in 2006, currently has more than 1,000 staff and broadcasts to over 100 countries.
The deal is the first step for the NUJ and its sister union Bectu, who is also included under the deal, in opening a dialogue with the employer to establish a collective bargaining framework.
“We welcome this recognition of the clear wishes of staff at Al Jazeera English for trade union representation,” Mick Hodgkin, NUJ father of the chapel at Al Jazeera, said.
“This will enable us to ensure that the views and interests of members on pay and conditions and a range of other issues are properly represented in the decision-making process, as Al Jazeera English continues to develop.”
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