Trade unions
Journalists are represented by one large and two smaller unions. The largest is the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) which has a broad remit to represent all those working in newspapers, magazines, books, PR and communication. This includes many who do not call themselves journalists - photographers, producers, presenters, website managers, content providers, advertising copywriters, designers, social media officers, bloggers, podcasters, press officers, communications officers. The British Association of Journalists (BAJ) represents those involved in the editorial workflow process (reporters, hyperlocal editors, photographers, writers, sub-editors, page layout artists, and news broadcasters). The Chartered Institute of Journalists (CIoJ) represents those employed in journalism and public relations. The Broadcasting, Entertainment, Cinematograph and Theatre Union (BECTU) is the UK's media and entertainment trade union. BECTU covers broadcasting, cinema, film, digital media, independent production, leisure, IT and telecoms, theatre and the arts. In 2017 BECTU merged with a larger union and became the ‘Media and Entertainment’ sector of Prospect which includes sectors representing a range of professions. Workers in the paper, printing and publishing industry are represented by the Graphical, Paper and Media and Information Technology section of the UK’s largest union, Unite. Prospect and Unite are illustrative of the trend for small, specialised unions to merge with larger organisations with increased bargaining power. However, the power of trade unions was significantly weakened during the late 1980s and early 1990s by anti-union legislation and the de-recognition of unions by employers.